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OCT.
DEC.
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SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION
Dear Fellow Sabbath School Members.
Pope Paul VI, in a historical meeting with Latin-American bishops held
in Medellin, Colombia, listened to an important document prepared by a group of
delegates. Among other things, the document said: "Youth represent the most
numerous group of society in Latin-America, a new and extraordinary pressure
group." Facing this declaration, the Pope added: "For us, they constitute the
most important theme, worthy of our principal interest."
Are we unaware as a church of this "new and extraordinary pressure
group"? Are we giving this new awakening generation priority treatment?
To say that the future belongs to this young generation seems to be a
truism destitute of major importance. However, for us in South America, this
declaration has a tremendous significance because of the result of a gallopping
demographic growth, SS% of the population is under 21 years of age.
As a church, we are conscious of our rights and responsibilities in
front of this new generation. For this reason, we are dedicating the 13th Sab-
bath overflow of this quarter to two educational institutions: Northeast Brazil
College, administered by the East Brazil Union and to a new academy in the
territory of the South Chile Conference.
During more than three decades, Northeast Brazil College has prepared
pastors and evangelists who, with great fevor and extraordinary dedication, are
proclaiming the redeeming power of Christ in different areas of the country.
However, in spite of their good contribution to the mission field, this
institution needs an appropriate theology department to function even better.
One half of the overflow of this quarter will be applied towards the construction
of a building for the Theology Department.
The other half will be destined to building a secondary school in
South Chile, a dream held by our Chilean brethren who desire to-see their
children protected in an authentic "city of refuge," guided by the Adventist
educational philosophy.
We are certain that the members of the Sabbath School in all the world
will contribute in an exceptional way to help us lead our y
his "new and
extraordinary pressure group," placing them in the service
d humanity.
4
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Yours in His service,
gkf
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Enoch ne 01"veira
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L. A. DE HERRERA 2738 - MONTEVIDEO. URUGUAY - P. 0. 802 286 - PHONE 58 77 20 - 58140 83 - CABLE DIVISION -
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Adult Sabbath School Lessons / No. 326, October-December, 1976
Cont
-
ent
-
s
1. Worship at the Dawn of History
2. Worship and the Exodus
3. The Battle With Baal
4. The Temple and Its Dedication
5. Isaiah's Concern About Worship
6. Worship in the Psalms
7. Jesus and Worship
8.
The Early Christians and Worship
9.
Worship in the Book of Revelation
10.
The Three Angels' Messages and Worship
11.
Characteristics of True Worship
12.
The Memorial of His Humiliation
13.
The Lord's Supper
The Adult Sabbath School Lessons are prepared by the Sabbath School Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of the lessons
is directed by a worldWide Sabbath School Lesson Committee, the members of which
serve as consulting editors.
Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Ave., NW,
Washington, DC 20012
Lesson Author: Norval F. Pease
Editor: W. Richard Lesher
Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore
Circulation Manager: Arthur R. Mazat
Art and Design: Concerned Communications
Braille lessons available. See page 110
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (standard edition). Single copy, 40 cents; four issues (1 year),
$1.50; no additional charge to countries requiring extra postage. Published in the U.S.A., by
Pacific Press Publishing Association (a corporation of SDA), 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View,
California 94042. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Mountain View, California. Form
3579 requested. When a change of address is desired, please be sure to send both old and new
addresses.
Copyright 1976 by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Cover photo by Concerned Communications
1—ASS L-4-76
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SABBATH SCHOOL MEMO
Use to check off for daily study, reminder for Mission
Spotlight, etc. Jot memos above week-day dates.
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the Sabbath School lesson each day.
(Signed)
WORSHIP
-A BIBLE DOCTRINE
Introduction
Ordinarily, when we think of doctrines, we think of such Biblical teachings as the
atonement, salvation by faith, the sanctuary, the grace of God, the second coming of
Christ, and the law of God. The worship o.f God has not always been included among-
the doctrines of the church. But, according to the Bible, it deserves such recognition.
From Genesis to Revelation worship is one of the great themes. It was one of the
issues in the great controversy between good and evil. It was the basis of the first
table of the law. It was central to the life-style of both the Old and the New Testaments.
It was the subject of much of the poetry of the Bible. It was a prominent theme of the
prophets. It was one of the concerns of Christ. It was part of the experience of the
early Christian church.
For the Seventh-day Adventist, worship is included in his unique charter, the three
angels' messages. His life is centered in his church; but sometimes he thinks of his
church as organization, people, activity, or dogma rather than as a group of
worshipers. His Sabbath may be only a day of rest (man-centered) rather than a day of
reverence (God-centered).
The purpose of this series of lessons is to explore what the Bible has to say about
worship. Six lessons are from the Old Testament, six from the New, and one (lesson
eleven) is of a general nature. Some lessons are basically historical, some are
theological, some deal with practical issues. All are intended to enhance the worship
relationship between the Christian and his God.
It is hoped that a study of this subject will make all types of worship more
meaningful. Nothing will contribute more to the spiritual health of the church than for
its members to worship God as individuals, for its families to worship Him in family
prayers, for groups of all kinds to join in worship, and for the Sabbath service to be the
climax of the worship experience.
5
LESSON 1 September 26 to October 2
Worship at the
Dawn of History
"For thus saith the Lord that created
the heavens; God himself that formed
the earth and made it; he hath
established it, he created it not in vain,
he formed it to be inhabited: I am the
Lord; and there is none else. . . .
"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all
the ends of the earth: for I am God,
and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:18,
22).
This passage of Scripture suggests
several ideas that are important to the
theme of worship: (1) God is the
Creator of the heavens and the earth;
therefore He merits the worship of His
creatures; (2) God's purpose in
creation of the heavens and the earth
was to bring into existence a race of
intelligent beings, made in His image,
with whom He could establish a
relationship; and (3) this relationship
was to be marked by love,
dependence, respect, and reverence
on the part of His creatures.
The plan of this lesson is to study
certain incidents connected with the
dawn of human history that illustrate
the worship relationship that man was
to have with his Creator.
It will be observed that the
relationship between God and man in
the book of Genesis is very personal.
Man relates to God either as an
individual or as part of a family. Public
worship was in its infancy. One of the
most striking phenomena of this
period of man's history was the
theophaby,
the personal appearance
of God to man. This intimate
relationship produced an attitude
toward God that needs to be
recaptured by those who love and
worship God in these times.
"The holy pair were not only
children under the fatherly care of
God but students receiving
instruction from the all-wise Creator.
They were visited by angels, and were
granted communion with their Maker,
with no obscuring veil between. . . .
God's glory in the heavens, the
innumerable worlds in their orderly
revolutions, 'the balancings of the
clouds,' the mysteries of light and
sound, of day and night—all were
open to the study of our first parents.
. They were ever discovering some
attraction that filled their hearts with
deeper love and called forth fresh
expressions of gratitude.
"So long as they remained loyal to
the divine law, their capacity to know,
to enjoy, and to love would
continually increase. They would be
constantly gaining new treasures of
knowledge, discovering fresh springs
of happiness, and obtaining clearer
and yet clearer conceptions of the
immeasurable, unfailing love of
God."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp.
50, 51.
It was this type of life-style that was
intended by God to keep ever fresh
and alive the spirit of reverence and
worship on the part of His creatures.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The First Great Worship
Symbol (Gen. 2:2, 3)
2.
Two Brothers and an Altar
(Gen. 4:3-5)
3.
The Beginning of Public
Worship (Gen. 4:26)
4.
The Altar Beside the Ark
(Gen. 8:20-22)
5.
Abraham, the Altar Builder
(Gen. 12:7)
6.
Jacob Meets His Lord (Gen.
28:16-19)
Worship at the
Dawn of History
LESSON 1
❑
Sunday
September 26
Part 1
"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had
THE FIRST GREAT made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work
WORSHIP SYMBOL which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work
which God created and made" (Gen. 2:2, 3).
What is the purpose of the Sabbath?
The book of Genesis opens by presenting the basic reason for
worship—God is the Creator, and we are His creatures. God
evidently intended that this relationship should be
memorialized, for He established the Sabbath as a weekly
reminder of His creatorship. In blessing and sanctifying a day,
He recognized
time
as a fundamental symbol of worship. The
first worship symbol He gave to Man was not a tree, a building,
or an animal, but
twenty-four hours
recurring every seven days.
Could anything be more basic, more universal than time? This
symbol could not be changed by geography, by culture, or by
the passing of the years. To man, time is basic. And when God
set apart a period of time, He thereby made it possible for man to
have the opportunity and the leisure to worship Him.
"After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it
apart, as a day of rest for man. Following the example of the
Creator, man was to rest upon this sacred day, that as he should
look upon the heavens and the earth, he might reflect upon
God's great work of creation; and that as he should behold the
evidences of God's wisdom and goodness, his heart might be
filled with love and reverence for his Maker.
"In Eden, God set up the memorial of His work of creation, in
placing His blessing upon the seventh day. The Sabbath was
committed to Adam, the father and representative of the whole
human family. Its observance was to be an act of grateful
acknowledgment, on the part of all who should dwell upon the
earth, that God was their Creator and their rightful Sovereign;
that they were the work of His hands and the subjects of His
authority."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 47, 48.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the relationship between divine worship and God's
act as Creator? (See Ex. 20:8-11.)
"'The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine
worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive
manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of
divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all
worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and His
creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must
never be forgotten.'—J. N. Andrews,
History of the Sabbath,
chapter 27."—Quoted in
The Great Controversy,
pp. 437, 438.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 436-438.
8
Worship at the Dawn of History
LESSON 1
❑
Monday
September 27
Part 2
TWO BROTHERS
AND AN ALTAR
"And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of
the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he
also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.
And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but
unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was
very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Gen. 4:3-5).
Why did Cain and Abel bring offerings to God?
"The sacrificial offerings were ordained by God to be to man a
perpetual reminder and a penitential acknowledgment of his sin
and a confession of his faith in the promised Redeemer. They
were intended to impress upon the fallen race the solemn truth
that it was sin that caused death."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
p.
68.
This was a part of man's worship after his expulsion from
Eden.
This incident teaches us that worship has a theological basis.
Man is not free to worship in any way he sees best. There are
theological reasons for the manner in which God is worshiped,
and these reasons must not be ignored. Worship is acceptable
only when it is carried out according to God's direction.
Why was Cain's worship not acceptable?
"Cain came before God with murmuring and infidelity in his
heart in regard to the promised sacrifice and the necessity of the
sacrificial offerings. His gift expressed no penitence for sin. He
felt, as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgment of
weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of
trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised
Saviour. He chose the course of self-dependence. He would
come in his own merits. He would not bring the lamb, and
mingle its blood with his offering, but would present
his
fruits,
the products of
his labor."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 72.
THINK IT THROUGH
What should worshipers learn today from the experience of
Cain and Abel? (See Jude 11.)
"The class of worshipers who follow the example of Cain
includes by far the greater portion of the world; for nearly every
false religion has been based on the same principle—that man
can depend upon his own efforts for salvation."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
p. 73.
True worship, then, must maintain those attitudes and
employ those symbols that are in harmony with the correct
theology of salvation.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Two Worshipers," pp. 150-152.
Worship at the Dawn of History
LESSON 1
❑
Tuesday
September 28
Part 3
"And to Seth, to him also there was born a son: and he
THE BEGINNING called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name
OF PUBLIC of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26).
WORSHIP
What does this text reveal about the worship of God?
"In his [Enos'] time a more formal worship was begun. Man
had of course called upon the Lord before Enos' birth, but as
time went on a more pronounced distinction arose between
those who worshiped the Lord and those who defied Him. The
expression 'to call upon the name of the Lord' is used frequently
in the OT to indicate, as it does here, public worship (Ps. 79:6;
116:17; Jer. 10:25; Zeph.
3:9)."—SDA Bible Commentary,
on
Gen. 4:26.
Early worship was generally personal. God talked with Adam
and Eve in the garden. But when mankind became divided
between those who worshiped God and those who did not, the
worshipers of God united and bore their witness of their
allegiance to their Creator in a public way. We can see in this
development the seeds of what later became the church—in
both its Old Testament and its New Testament form.
"'To Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his
name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah.'
The faithful had worshiped God before; but as men increased,
the distinction between the two classes became more marked.
There was an open profession of loyalty to God on the part of
one, as there was of contempt and disobedience on the part of
the other.
"Before the Fall our first parents had kept the Sabbath, which
was instituted in Eden; and after their expulsion from Paradise
they continued its observance. They had tasted the bitter fruits
of disobedience, and had learned what every one that tramples
upon God's commandments will sooner or later learn—that the
divine precepts are sacred and immutable, and that the penalty
of transgression will surely be inflicted. The Sabbath was
honored by all the children of Adam that remained loyal to God.
But Cain and his descendants did not respect the day upon
which God had rested. They chose their own time for labor and
for rest, regardless of Jehovah's express command."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 80, 81.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does this story of the beginning of public worship tell
us today? (See Heb. 10:25.)
A close personal relationship between the individual and God
is as essential today as in the times of Adam and Abel and Seth.
But the witness of group worship is also essential in order to
keep alive the worship of God in the world.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 80-84.
10
Worship at the
Dawn of History
LESSON 1
❑
Wednesday
September 29
Part 4
"And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every
THE ALTAR clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt
BESIDE THE ARK offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour;
and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground
any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is
evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every
thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth,
seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Gen. 8:20-22).
What was the relation between Noah's worship and God's
covenant?
"In the joy of their release Noah did not forget Him by whose
gracious care they had been preserved. His first act after leaving
the ark was to build an altar and offer from every kind of clean
beast and fowl a sacrifice, thus manifesting his gratitude to God
for deliverance and his faith in Christ, the great sacrifice. This
offering was pleasing to the Lord; and a blessing resulted, not
only to the patriarch and his family, but to all who should live
upon the earth. . . . Here was a lesson for all succeeding
generations. Noah had come forth upon a desolate earth, but
before preparing a house for himself he built an altar to God. His
stock of cattle was small, and had been preserved at great
expense; yet he cheerfully gave a part to the Lord as an
acknowledgment that all was His. In like manner it should be our
first care to render our freewill offerings to God. Every
manifestation of His mercy and love toward us should be
gratefully acknowledged, both
.
by acts of devotion and by gifts
to His
cause."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 105, 106.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does Noah's experience tell us about worship?
1.
Worship was an expression of gratitude to God. Worship
has been defined as a redeemed man's response to his
Redeemer. Noah had been saved. He did not forget to thank his
Saviour.
2.
Worship was an expression of faith. Noah understood the
symbolism of the slain beasts. So today our songs, our prayers,
our gifts, our sermons are expressions of our faith in God.
3.
God's gracious covenant was His response to Noah's
worship. God's promises today are fulfilled in the lives of those
who worship Him.
4.
Noah was willing to assume the cost of worship. He gave of
his possessions, and in so doing he set an example of liberality.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 105-107.
11
Worship at the Dawn of History
LESSON 1
❑
Thursd
ay
September 30
Part 5
"And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy
ABRAHAM, THE seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the
ALTAR-BUILDER Lord, who appeared unto him" (Gen. 12:7).
How did Abraham reveal his dedication by his worship?
Abraham had migrated from Ur to Haran, and in response to
God's call he migrated again to Canaan. He was 75 years of age
and had accumulated considerable property. His move not only
involved inconvenience, but also danger, for "the Canaanite
was then in the land." But God did not forget His faithful
servant. He appeared to him, made a promise to him, and
Abraham responded by building an altar for worship.
The next verse of Genesis 12 tells us that he moved on to "a
mountain on the east of Bethel," and there he built another
altar. Chapter 13 has him returning to the altar near Bethel after
a trip to Egypt, "and there Abram called on the name of the
Lord" (verse 4). Later in the same chapter, Abraham "removed
his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in
Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord" (verse 18).
The altar on the plains of Mamre seemed to be his center of
worship for a long time. One more altar was very significant in
Abraham's life—the altar he built on one of the mountains in the
land of Moriah. There he indicated his complete dedication to
God, and there God's covenant with Abraham was repeated
again.
"Abraham, 'the friend of God,' set us a worthy example. His
was a life of prayer. Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside it
was set up his altar, calling all within his encampment to the
morning and evening sacrifice."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
p.
128.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
12
What message does Abraham, the altar builder, have for
us?
"Like the patriarchs of old, those who profess to love God
should erect an altar to the Lord wherever they pitch their tent. If
ever there was a time when every house should be a house of
prayer, it is now. Fathers and mothers should often lift up their
hearts to God in humble supplication for themselves and their
children. Let the father, as priest of the household, lay upon the
altar of God the morning and evening sacrifice, while the wife
and children unite in prayer and praise. In such a household
Jesus will love to
tarry."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 144.
Family worship is an important aspect of the worship of God.
Are we as faithful in this respect as was Abraham? Do we gather
our families together to read the Bible, to pray, and to praise
God? (Compare Gen. 18:18, 19.)
Child Guidance,
pp. 517-526.
Worship at the
Dawn of History
LESSON 1
❑
Friday
October 1
Part 6
"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the
JACOB MEETS Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and
HIS LORD said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the
house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose
up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for
his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top
of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel" (Gen.
28:16-19).
What was the background of this experience?
Jacob had incurred his brother Esau's wrath by obtaining the
birthright by fraud. Fleeing from his brother's threats of
violence, he made an overnight stop on his way to Haran. During
that memorable night Jacob was given the vision of the ladder
connecting earth and heaven. God appeared to Jacob and
renewed the promise that had been made to Abraham.
Jacob had reason to feel alone when he arrived at his
stopping place. But God assured him, "I am with thee, and will
keep thee" (Gen. 28:15). Jacob responded to this revelation by
setting up a pillar as a memorial and by naming the spot Bethel.
"In accordance with the custom of commemorating impor-
tant events, Jacob set up a memorial of God's mercy, that
whenever he should pass that way he might tarry at this sacred
spot to worship the Lord. And he called the place Bethel, or the
'house of God.' With deep gratitude he repeated the promise
that God's presence would be with him; and then he made the
solemn vow, 'If God will be with me, ... this stone ... shall be
God's house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give
the tenth unto Thee.'
"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 187.
THINK IT THROUGH
What are the lessons to be learned from this experience?
In this case, the worship of God was motivated by a deep
sense of forgiveness. When we get ourselves into trouble—as
Jacob did—knowing full well that our misfortunes have come as
the result of our own wrongdoing, it is easy to feel that God has
forsaken us. But when, in a circumstance like this, God takes
the initiative and assures us of His love and forgiveness, we are
overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation.
This sense of gratitude to a forgiving God is one of the
greatest incentives to real, heartfelt worship.
"Jacob felt that God had claims upon him which he must
acknowledge, and that the special tokens of divine favor
granted him demanded a return. So does every blessing
bestowed upon us call for a response to the Author of all our
mercies."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 187.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Lord's Prayer,"
pp. 116-119.
13
LESSON 2 October 3-9
Worship and the
Exodus
VI
vii
VIII
IX
"And afterward Moses and Aaron
went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith
the Lord God of Israel, Let my people
go, that they may hold a feast unto me
in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said,
Who is the Lord, that I should obey his
voice to let Israel go? I know not the
Lord, neither will I let Israel go. And
they said, The God of the Hebrews
hath met with us: let us go, we pray
thee, three days' journey into the
desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our
God; lest he fall upon us with
pestilence, or with the sword" (Ex.
5:1-3).
Moses and Aaron were not trying to
mislead Pharaoh when they told him
that Israel's God wanted His people
released so they could "hold a feast
unto me" and "sacrifice unto the Lord
our God." Israel had been unable to
worship God as they should under the
rigors of slavery, and one reason for
their deliverance from Egypt was that
they might relearn the art of
worshiping their God. They could
never function effectively as God's
chosen people until they learned how
to worship Him in the right way.
Referring to the Exodus, the
psalmist says, "He brought forth his
people with joy, and his chosen with
gladness: and gave them the lands of
the heathen: and they inherited the
labour of the people; that they might
observe his statutes, and keep his
laws" (Ps. 105:43-45). God's laws and
statutes regarding His worship were
difficult to observe in slavery;
therefore God removed His people
from slavery so that they might
worship Him. In fact, the entire
Exodus project would have had no
lasting, significance if the Hebrews had
merely secured their liberty from the
Egyptians but had never relearned the
worship of their God.
This lesson is dedicated to a story of
how a nation of slaves learned, step by
step, the meaning and beauty of a life
of worship. From these incidents, we
may learn better how to worship God
in our day.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Restoration of the
Sabbath (Ex. 16:29, 30)
2.
The First Table of the Law
(Ex.20:3)
3.
The Portable Church (Ex.
25:8)
4.
The Daily Worship Services
(Lev. 6:12, 13)
5.
The Yearly Celebrations
(Lev. 16:16)
6.
The Worship Leaders (Ex.
29:4-9)
Worship and the Exodus
LESSON 2
❑
Sunday
October 3
Part 1
THE RESTORATION
OF THE SABBATH
"See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore
he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye
every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the
seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day" (Ex.
16:29, 30).
At what point in the Exodus experience was the Sabbath
first stressed?
An interesting sequence of events occurred following the
deliverance from Egypt at the Red Sea:
First, there was the song of Moses (Ex. 15:1-19). This was a
song of praise to God and was an act of worship on the part of a
grateful people. "Like the voice of the great deep, rose from the
vast hosts of Israel that sublime ascription.... Far over desert
and sea rang the joyous refrain, and the mountains re-echoed
the words of their praise—'Sing ye to Jehovah, for He hath
triumphed gloriously.'
"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 288,
289.
Second, there was the sweetening of the bitter waters at
Marah and the encampment by the wells of Elim. The people
had to learn that their God wouldn't let them die of thirst.
Third, there was the food crisis and the giving of the manna in
the Wilderness of Sin. Again, the people had to learn that their
God wouldn't let them starve.
A certain degree of security having been attained, God
restored the Sabbath. True, it had not been entirely forgotten in
Egypt, but it had been observed with great difficulty. Every
preparation day they were to gather a double portion of manna
so that they would not need to labor on the Sabbath. For forty
years the manna kept coming. It served as a reminder of God's
care for His people; and every seventh day they were reminded
of their obligation to celebrate a day of worship.
THINK IT THROUGH
What practical lessons come to us from God's provision for
Sabbath manna? (See Neh. 9:19-21.)
"God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now
as in the time of Israel. The command given to thp Hebrews
should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from
Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a
day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its
sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to
encroach upon holy time. . . . Work that is neglected until the
beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past.
This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones,
and make them careful to do their own work on the six working
days."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 296.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 353-356.
16
Worship and the Exodus
LESSON 2
❑
Monday
October 4
Part 2
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3).
THE FIRST TABLE
OF THE LAW
How do the first four commandments relate to worship?
The first four commandments of the Decalogue were
intended to make secure the place of God in the hearts and lives
of believers.
"Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself
the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme
reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other
object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever
we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere
with the service due Him, of that do we make a god."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 305.
The second commandment is an extension of the first.
"The second commandment forbids the worship of the true
God by images or similitudes.... The attempt to represent the
Eternal One by material objects would lower man's conception
of God. . . .
"In prohibiting the worship of false gods, the second
commandment by implication enjoins the worship of the true
God."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 306.
The third commandment of the first table is designed to
guarantee reverence for God's name.
"All should meditate upon His majesty, His purity and
holiness, that the heart may be impressed with a sense of His
exalted character; and His holy name should be uttered with
reverence and
solemnity."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 307.
And, finally, the day of rest and worship that had been
observed with such difficulty in Egypt, and that had been
restored in connection with the giving of the manna in the
Wilderness of Sin—this was to be the most effective reminder of
the worship of the true God.
"All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are
worshipers of
Jehovah."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 307.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the usual attitude to church worship in the modern
world? Do I go to church for the right reasons?
To a great extent, worship is considered by today's churches
as celebration—"celebration of life," as some put it. The idea of
deep reverence for a God who is the Creator and Father of us all
is often rejected by the modern mind. One of the challenges to
God's church today is to teach men to "worship him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters"
(Rev. 14:7). This calls for a reaffirmation of the first four
commandments.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 639-641.
17
Worship and the Exodus
LESSON 2
❑
Tuesday
October 5
Part 3
"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among
THE PORTABLE them" (Ex. 25:8).
CHURCH
What were some of the characteristics of this portable
church that God instructed Israel to construct?
1'. It was to be built by the offerings of Israel (Ex. 25:1-7).
2.
It was to be built according to a plan revealed by God (Ex.
25:9).
3.
The structure was to center in an ark which was to be
highly reverenced as the point where God would
communicate with man (Ex. 25:10-22).
4.
The table of shewbread, the candlestick, the altar of
incense, the curtains, the boards, the roof, the veils were
all exquisitely beautiful, constructed of the most valuable
materials (Ex. 25:23 through 26:37).
5.
An altar was constructed in the court which was a center
for the daily worship of the people (Ex. 27:1-21).
"No language can describe the glory of the scene presented
within the sanctuary—the gold-plated walls reflecting the light
from the golden candlestick, the brilliant hues of the richly
embroidered curtains with their shining angels, the table, and
the altar of incense, glittering with gold; beyond the second veil
the sacred ark, with its mystic cherubim, and above it the holy
Shekinah, the visible manifestation of Jehovah's presence; all
but a dim reflection of the glories of the temple of God in
heaven, the great center of the work for man's redemption."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 349.
What happened when the first worship service was held at
this tabernacle? Ex. 40:34, 35.
Exodus 40 tells the dramatic story of the erecting of the
tabernacle. The structure was to be set up, the furniture
arranged, the laver filled with water, the implements anointed,
the priests sanctified, the bread set in order, the candles lighted.
Incense was burned for the first time in the first apartment, and a
burnt offering was offered on the altar in the court.
THINK IT THROUGH
How much am I contributing to the support of my church?
"The murmurings of the Israelites and the visitations of God's
judgments because of their sins are recorded as a warning to
after-generations. And their devotion, their zeal and liberality,
are an example worthy of imitation. All who love the worship of
God and prize the blessing of His sacred presence will manifest
the same spirit of sacrifice in preparing a house where he may
meet with
them."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 344.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 343-350.
18
Worship and the Exodus
LESSON 2
❑
Wednesday
October 6
Part 4
"And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not
THE DAILY be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning,
WORSHIP and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn
SERVICES thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be
burning upon the altar; it shall never go out" (Lev. 6:12, 13),
There was a deep spiritual meaning in this ever-burning
flame. "The Jews affirm that it burned continuously until the
Babylonian captivity. Some even claim that it never went out
until the final destruction of the Temple in A.D.
70."—SDA Bible
Commentary,
on Lev. 6:13. God, the true object of Israel's
worship was not here today and gone tomorrow. Whatever sins
they might commit, the flame still burned on their altar.
Whatever dangers they might face, the fire never went out.
There was a permanence in the worship of the eternal God.
What did the daily worship service include?
"The daily service consisted of the morning and evening
burnt offering, the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar,
and the special offerings for individual sins. . . .
"Every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned
upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus
symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation of Jehovah,
and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of
Christ. . . .
"In the offering of incense the priest was brought more
directly into the presence of God than in any other act of the
daily ministration.... As in that typical service the priest looked
by faith to the mercy seat which he could not see, so the people
of God are now to direct their prayers to Christ, their great High
Priest, who, unseen by human vision, is pleading in their behalf
in the sanctuary above. . . .
"The most important part of the daily ministration was the
service performed in behalf of individuals."—Patriarchs
and
Prophets,
pp. 352-354.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what way did the daily worship service of Israel set an
example for us? (See Ps. 5:3; 55:16, 17; 88:13.)
"The hours appointed for the morning and the evening
sacrifice were regarded as sacred, and they came to be
observed as the set time for worship throughout the Jewish
nation. . . . In this custom Christians have an example for
morning and evening prayer. While God condemns a mere
round of ceremonies, without the spirit of worship, He looks
with great pleasure upon those who love Him, bowing morning
and evening to seek pardon for sins committed and to present
their requests for needed blessings."—Patriarchs
and
Prophets,
pp. 353, 354.
•
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 352-355.
19
2-ASS L
-
4-76
Worship and the Exodus
LESSON 2
❑
Thursday
October 7
Part 5
"And he shall make an atonement for the holy place,
THE YEARLY because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and
CELEBRATIONS because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall
he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth
among them in the midst of their uncleanness" (Lev. 16:16).
The greatest of the yearly worship services was the Day of
Atonement.
"Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest
entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary.
The work there performed completed the yearly round of
ministration. . . .
"Every man was to afflict his soul while the work of atonement
was going forward. All business was laid aside, and the whole
congregation of Israel spent the day in solemn humiliation
before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of
heart."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 355.
"Thus in the ministration of the tabernacle, and of the temple
that afterward took its place, the people were taught each day
the great truths relative to Christ's death and ministration, and
once each year their minds were carried forward to the closing
events of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, the
final purification of the universe from sin and sinners."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 358.
In addition to the Day of Atonement and the weekly Sabbath,
there were several other important worship events during the
year. Among these were the new moons (Num. 28:11-15); the
Passover (Exodus 12), the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex.
12:15-20), and the ceremony of the wave sheaf (Lev. 23:10-14);
Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks) (Lev. 23:15-21); the blowing of
trumpets (Lev. 23:24, 25); and the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev.
23:34-43). See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
1, pp. 708-710.
These ancient religious celebrations are mentioned to
illustrate how large a place public and private worship held in
the lives of the people. A substantial part of the resources and
time of the average Israelite was spent in activities related to the
worship of his God. But this continual round of worship was not
a means of appeasing deities, as in heathen religions. The
Israelites' worship, at its best, was a recognition of the
goodness of God and an acceptance of the provisions made by
God to solve the sin problem. So the worship was rational and
ethical. It avoided religious frenzy and incantation.
THINK IT THROUGH
How much of our resources and time are spent in
connection with our worship of God?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 355-358.
20
Worship and the Exodus
LESSON 2
❑
Friday
October 8
Part 6
"You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of
THE WORSHIP meeting, and wash them with water. And you shall take the
LEADERS garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the
ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with
the skilfully woven band of the ephod; and you shall set the
turban on his head, and put the holy crown upon the turban.
And you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head
and anoint him. Then you shall bring his sons, and put coats
on them, and you shall gird them with girdles and bind caps on
them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual stat-
ute. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons" (Ex. 29:4-9,
RSV).
By whom did God plan that the worship services of Israel
should be administered?
"By divine direction the tribe of Levi was set apart for the
of the sanctuary.... The priesthood, however, was restricted to
the family of Aaron. Aaron and his sons alone were permitted to
minister before the
Lord."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 350. .
Did ordination to the priesthood ensure faithfulness on the
part of those ordained? Lev. 10:1, 2.
"Strange fire.
Ordinary fire. It was not taken from the altar of
burnt offering, whose fire God Himself had kindled and which
was therefore sacred (ch. 16:12, 13). In the court of the
congregation there were hearths where the priests prepared
their food, and it may be that Nadab and Abihu took their
common fire from thence."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
on Lev.
10:1.
Of whom was the high priest a type? Heb. 4:14.
THINK IT THROUGH
In the New Testament church, who assumes the responsi-
bility of leading the congregation in worship? (See 1 Tim.
3:1-7.)
In the Christian church God ordained a
ministry
in place of a
priesthood. While the ministry is a gift of the Spirit, the minister
is ordained to his work by the church. His work is varied. He may
be an evangelist, a pastor, a teacher, an administrator; or his
work may be a combination of these functions. One of his
responsibilities is worship leadership. He plans worship
services and preaches to the worshipers. He conducts
communion services and leads out in prayer meetings. In these
functions he may be assisted by laymen; in fact the work of the
elder and deacon is a function of the total ministry of the
church.
FURTHER STUDY
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 526-528.
21
"And the children of Israel did evil in
the sight of the Lord, and served
Baalim: and they forsook the Lord God
of their fathers, which brought them
out of the land of Egypt, and followed
other gods, of the gods of the people
that were round about them, and
bowed themselves unto them, and
. provoked
the Lord to anger. And they
forsook the Lord, and served Baal and
Ashtaroth" (Judges 2:11-13).
For generations, the major problem
of Israel was a problem of worship.
The worship of the gods of the
Canaanites was appealing. The
worshipers worked themselves up
into a frenzy of excitement as they
participated in the immoral rites of
their cult. The worship of Jehovah,
with its demands for personal purity of
life, seemed rigid and uninteresting in
comparison to the lascivious
celebrations of the worshipers of Baal
and Ashtaroth.
"Baal worship, universal
throughout Syria and Palestine, seems
to have held a great attraction for the
Israelites. They repeatedly turned to it
from the time they entered the land of
Canaan until they were carried into
exile."—SDA
Bible Dictionary,
p. 99.
"When the tribes of Israel
undertook the conquest of Canaan,
they found there a worship of nature
deities known as 'Baalim.' This
worship was rather quickly absorbed
into their worship of Jehovah. They
took over the local sanctuaries known
as 'high places,' identified their God
with the local 'Baal,' and transferred to
the worship of their God the rituals,
ceremonies, and practices of the
popular shrines. . . . The state of
worship became more and more
corrupt as the years went by. God was
worshiped under the form of a metal
bull. The Israelites borrowed other
emblems from the heathenism about
them, which they used beside the
altar. Sacred prostitutes were in
attendance at the sanctuaries. The
practice of magic, necromancy, and
other superstitious rites became
common. The priests, the common
people, the political leaders, and
many of the prophets themselves,
labeled 'false prophets' by the few
sincere prophets, continued to think
of Jehovah as a Semitic deity who was
'jealous' for the exactness of the
worship ritual and the amount and
number of the sacrifices offered."
—I.
T. Jones,
A Historical Approach to
Evangelical Worship
(Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1954), pp. 17, 18.
Used bypermission.
The purpose of this lesson is to
reconstruct some of the ancient
confrontations between Jehovah
worship and Baal worship, and to draw
parallels relevant to the experience of
the church today.
LESSON OUTLINE
1. Apostasy at the Jordan
(Num. 22:41)
2. The Time of the Judges
(Judges 2:11-13)
3. Reformation in Worship
(1 Sam.
7:3,
4)
4. The Schools of the Prophets
(1 Sam. 10:5, 6, 9)
5. Elijah Meets a Crisis
(1 Kings 18:21)
6. The Results of Baal Worship
(2 Kings 17:15, 16)
LESSON 3 October 10-16
The Battle With
Baal
The Battle With Baal
LESSON 3
❑
Sunday
October 10
Part 1
"And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took
APOSTASY AT Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that
THE JORDAN thence he might see the utmost part of the people" (Num.
22:41).
THINK IT THROUGH
Balak, the king of Moab, called upon Balaam, a free-lance
prophet, to curse Israel who were camped on the plains of
Moab. Balaam was torn between his loyalty to God and his
desire for the honorarium promised him by Balak. The first
location selected by Balak for Balaam to curse Israel was "the
high places of Baal." The third site chosen by Balak in his
unsuccessful effort to persuade Balaam to curse Israel was
Mount Peor, "where was a temple devoted to the licentious
worship of Baal, their
god."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 449.
Failing in his efforts to curse Israel, Balaam suggested
another approach to the destruction of Israel. "The plan pro-
posed by Balaam was to separate them from God by enticing
them into idolatry. If they could be led to engage in the licen-
tious worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, their omnipotent Protector
would become their enemy, and they would soon fall a prey to
the fierce, warlike nations around them. This plan was readily
accepted by the king, and Balaam himself remained to assist in
carrying it into effect."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
p. 451.
The plan nearly succeeded. The worship of Baal was all
around the camp of Israel. Soon Midianitish women began to
appear in the camp. "It was the object of these women, in their
association with the Hebrews, to seduce them into transgres-
sion of the law of God, to draw their attention to heathen rites
and customs, and lead them into
idolatry."—Patriarchs and
Prophets,
p. 454. Israelites were induced to attend feasts of
Baal, and soon "Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor" (Num.
25:3). Thousands died as the result of this apostasy.
Does Israel's tragic experience on the borders of the
Promised Land have any message for us? (See 2 Peter 2:15.)
"As we approach the close of time, as the people of God stand
upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, Satan will, as of old,
redouble his efforts to prevent them from entering the goodly
land. He lays his snares for every soul. It is not the ignorant and
uncultured merely that need to be guarded; he will prepare his
temptations for those in the highest positions, in the most holy
office; if he can lead them to pollute their souls, he can through
them destroy many. And he employs the same agents now as he
employed three thousand years ago. By worldly friendships, by
the charms of beauty, by pleasure seeking, mirth, feasting, or
the. wine cup, he tempts to the violation of the seventh
commandment."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
pp. 457, 458.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 453-461.
24
The Battle With Baal
LESSON 3
❑
Monday
October 11
Part 2
"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord,
THE TIME OF and served Baalim: and they forsook the Lord God of their
THE JUDGES fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and
followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round
about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked
the Lord to anger. And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal
and Ashtaroth" (Judges 2:11-13).
It should be noted that the term "Baalim" is the plural of
"Baal." The Canaanite worship had many gods. Also
"Ashtoreth" was a goddess of the Canaanites.
Judges 2 summarizes a trend that plagued Israel for
generations. Israel would apostatize into Baal worship. God
would deliver them into the hands of their enemies. Israel would
repent, and God would raise up a judge to deliver them. Then
the cycle would begin again.
One fascinating story from this sequence is the story of Gid-
eon (Judges 6 through 8). Israel had sinned, and the Midianites
and Amalekites conquered them. "And the children of Israel
cried unto the Lord." God called Gideon to be the deliverer. His
first act was to throw down his father's altar of Baal, cut down
the grove beside it, and replace the altar with an altar to
Jehovah. Then followed the fascinating story of the reduction of
the army to the faithful 300, of the breaking of the pitchers and
the blowing of the trumpets, and of the routing of the
Midianites. After 40 years of quiet, Gideon died. "And it came to
pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel
turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made
Baal-berith their god" (Judges 8:33).
After a while the enemies of Israel—the Ammonites and the
Philistines—conquered again. "The children of Israel cried
unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both
because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim"
(Judges 10:10). This time it was Jephthah who delivered his
people. And so the cycle continued with monotonous regular-
ity. It seemed that Israel would never learn.
THINK IT THROUGH
What can we learn from the up-and-down experience of
Israel during the time of the judges?
The final paragraph of the chapter, "The Earlier Judges," in
Patriarchs and Prdphets,
contains the following statement:
"Like Israel, Christians too often yield to the influence of the
world and conform to its principles and customs, in order to
secure the friendship of the ungodly; but in the end it will be
found that these professed friends are the most dangerous of
foes. The Bible plainly teaches that there can be no harmony
between the people of God and the world."—Page 559.
•
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 553-559.
25
The Battle With Baal
LESSON 3
❑
Tuesday
October 12
Part 3
"And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye
REFORMATION do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the
IN WORSHIP strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare
your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only; and he will
deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children
of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the
Lord only" (1 Sam. 7:3, 4).
Samuel was not only a competent judge, but a great spiritual
leader. He "visited the cities and villages throughout the land,
seeking to turn the hearts of the people to the God of their
fathers; and his efforts were not without good results. After
suffering the oppression of their enemies for twenty years, the
Israelites 'mourned after the Lord.' Samuel counseled them, 'If
ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the
strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your
hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only.' Here we see that
practical piety, heart religion, was taught in the days of Samuel
as taught by Christ when He was upon the
earth."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
p. 590.
How did Samuel follow up this new reformation?1 Sam. 7:5.
He issued a call for all Israel to come together at Mizpeh, and
he said, "I will pray for you unto the Lord." Here is an indication
of Samuel's deeply spiritual leadership which began a
reformation that kept the worship of Baal in check for many
years. The meeting at Mizpeh included fasting, repentance, and
offerings. It also included prayer for deliverance from the
Philistines who were threatening to attack. God intervened and
turned the Philistines back with a storm, and the Israelites
pursued them.
Samuel recognized the importance of memorials to help
Israel remember to worship their God. "Then Samuel took a
stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name
of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us"
(1 Sam. 7:12). At his home "he built an altar unto the Lord"
(verse 17).
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the difference between wholehearted and half-
hearted worship?
"With all your heart." It was with this expression that Samuel
addressed Israel both at Mizpeh and at Gilgal. (1 Samuel 12:20).
This was the secret of Israel's success. When their hearts were
divided between Baal and Jehovah, they could not be blessed.
When their commitment to God was complete, He could lead
and protect them.
FURTHER STUDY
1 Samuel 7 and 12.
26
The Battle With Baal
LESSON 3
❑
Wednesday
October 13
Part 4
THE SCHOOLS OF
THE PROPHETS
In the coronation of King Saul, what part was played by a
company of prophets?
"And after that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is
the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when
thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a
company of prophets coming down from the high place with a
psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them;
and they shall prophesy: and the Spirit of the Lord will come
upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be
turned into another man."
"And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from
Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs
came to pass that day" (1 Sam. 10:5, 6, 9).
One of the greatest factors in the battle against Baal was the
influence of the prophets of God. This great institution of divine
prophecy was kept alive by "the schools of the prophets,"
mentioned so often in the writings of Ellen White.
"The schools of the prophets were founded by Samuel to
serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption, to provide
for the moral and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to promote
the future prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men
qualified to act in the fear of God as leaders and counselors. In
the accomplishment of this object Samuel gathered companies
of young men who were pious, intelligent, and studious. These
were called the sons of the prophets. As they communed with
God and studied His word and His works, wisdom from above
was added to their natural endowments."—Patriarchs
and
Prophets,
p. 593.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can we be led to shun false worship and worship God
aright?
"Let the youth be led to understand the object of their
creation, to honor God and bless their fellow men; let them see
the tender love which the Father in heaven has manifested
toward them, and the high destiny for which the discipline of
this life is to prepare them, the dignity and honor to which they
are called, even to become the sons of God, and thousands
would turn with contempt and loathing from the low and selfish
aims and the frivolous pleasures that have hitherto engrossed
them. They would learn to hate sin and to shun it, not merely
from hope of reward or fear of punishment, but from a sense of
its inherent baseness, because it would be a degrading of their
God-given powers, a stain upon their Godlike manhood."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 601, 602.
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 45-50.
27
The Battle With Baal
LESSON 3
❑
Thursday
October 14
Part 5
ELIJAH MEETS
A CRISIS
THINK IT THROUGH
"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long
halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him:
but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not
a word" (1 Kings 18:21).
What was the condition of Israel at the time of Elijah?
King Ahab and his heathen wife, Jezebel, brought Israel to an
all-time low, spiritually. "The dark shadow of apostasy covered
the whole land. Images of Baalim and Ashtoreth were
everywhere to be seen. Idolatrous temples and consecrated
groves, wherein were worshiped the works of men's hands,
were multiplied. The air was polluted with the smoke of the
sacrifices offered to false gods.
Hill
and vale resounded with the
drunken cries of a heathen priesthood who sacrificed to the
sun, moon, and stars."—Prophets
and Kings,
p. 115.
How did Elijah bring this worship conflict to a point of deci-
sion? 1 Kings 17:1.
The followers of Baal believed that "the treasures of heaven,
the dew and the rain, came not from Jehovah, but from the
ruling forces of nature."—Prophets
and Kings,
p. 120. Elijah
challenged the power of Baal by announcing to the king that
there would be a long famine. For three years and a half no rain
fell, and finally in the confrontation on Mount Carmel it was
made clear that the prophets of Baal were helpless. The heathen
worship that had so completely engulfed Israel was proved
false. The prophets of Baal were slain, and the way was opened
for a new era in the history of Israel.
But the work of Elijah was not done. A brief detour of discour-
agement and a rendezvous with God in the wilderness prepared
him for the remainder of his mission.
How can you tell whether a worship service glorifies God or
not? (See Matt. 15:9.)
"In the exaltation of the human above the divine, in the praise
popular leaders, in the worship of mammon, and in the placing
of the teachings of science above the truths of revelation,
multitudes today are following after Baal. . . .
"Yet this apostasy, widespread as it has come to be, is not
universal. Not all in the world are lawless and sinful; not all have
taken sides with the enemy. God has many thousands who have
not bowed the knee to
Baal."—Prophets and Kings,
pp. 170,
171.
"If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him" is
a relevant challenge in the 1970s.
FURTHER STUDY
1 Kings 18 and 19.
28
The Battle With Baal
LESSON 3
❑
Friday
October 15
Part 6
Why was Israel finally taken into captivity?
THE RESULTS OF
BAAL WORSHIP
"And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he
made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified
against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and
went after the heathen that were round about them,
concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they
should not do like them. And they left all the commandments
of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even
two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of
heaven, and served Baal" (2 Kings 17:15, 16).
What part did heathen practices of worship play in the final
downfall of Israel? 2 Kings 17:18.
"The iniquity in Israel during the last half century before the
Assyrian captivity was like that of the days of Noah, and of every
other age when men have rejected God and have given
themselves wholly to evil-doing. The exaltation of nature above
the God of nature, the worship of the creature instead of the
Creator, has always resulted in the grossest of evils. Thus when
the people of Israel, in their worship of Baal and Ashtoreth, paid
supreme homage to the forces of nature, they severed their
connection with all that is uplifting and ennobling, and fell an
easy prey to temptation. With the defenses of the soul broken
down, the misguided worshipers had no barrier against sin and
yielded themselves to the evil passions of the human heart....
"Such were some of the results that had followed the setting
up of the two calves of gold by Jeroboam. The first departure
from established forms of worship had led to the introduction of
grosser forms of idolatry, until finally nearly all the inhabitants
of the land had given themselves over to the alluring practices
of nature worship."—Prophets
and Kings,
pp. 281, 282.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why do God's people sometimes suffer calamities? (See
Hosea 4:6.)
It was the worship of Baal rather than God that sealed the fate
of Israel. "Moses traced the evils that would result from a
departure from the statutes of Jehovah. Calling heaven and
earth to witness, he declared that if, after having dwelt long in
the Land of Promise, the people should introduce corrupt forms
of worship and bow down to graven images and should refuse
to return to the worship of the true God, the anger of the Lord
would be aroused, and they would be carried away captive and
scattered among the heathen."—Prophets
and Kings,
p. 295.
It
is
important how and whom we worship.
FURTHER STUDY
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 293-300.
29
LESSON 4 October 17-23
The Temple and
Its Dedication
"Behold, I build an house to the
lame of the Lord my God, to dedicate
Ito him, and to burn before him sweet
Incense, and for the continual
thewbread, and for the burnt
offerings morning and evening, on the
;abbaths, and on the new moons, and
on the solemn feasts of the Lord our
God. This is an ordinance for ever to
Israel. And the house which I build is
great: for great is our God above all
gods. But who is able to build him an
house, seeing the heaven and heaven
of heavens cannot contain him? who
am I then, that I should build him an
house, save only to burn sacrifice
before him?" (2 Chron. 2:4-6).
These words were written in a letter
from King Solomon to Hiram, king of
Tyre. In this statement Solomon
revealed a deep understanding of the
nature of the worship of God.
1.
Solomon understood the reason
for a house of worship. It was not to
glorify its builder or to nourish the
pride of the worshipers. It was to be a
place where sacrifices were to be
made, Sabbaths to be observed, and
feasts to be celebrated. The purpose
of the structure was to glorify God, not
man.
2.
Solomon was not satisfied to erect
a mediocre place of worship. "The
house which I build is great." God's
house was worthy of the very best that
could be provided.
3.
Solomon understood that God
could not be limited by any house man
might build. God was always to be
greater than His temple.
The purpose of this lesson is to
review some of the significant events
related to the building and dedication
of Solomon's temple and from this
study to learn more about the worship
of God.
LESSON OUTLINE
1. The Temple Demanded the Best
(1 Kings 6:21, 22)
2. The Temple Conserved the
Past (2 Chron. 5:2, 5, 10)
3. God's Promises Regarding the
Temple (1 Kings 6:11-13)
4. Solomon's Prayer for
Forgiveness (2 Chron. 6:21)
5. Solomon's Prayer for the
Worshiping Stranger (2 Chron.
6:32, 33)
6. God Heard Solomon's Prayer
(2 Chron. 7:1-3)
The Temple and Its Dedication
LESSON 4
❑
Sunday
October 17
Part 1
"So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and
THE TEMPLE he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle;
DEMANDED and he overlaid it with gold. And the whole house he overlaid
THE BEST with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole
altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold" (1 Kings
6:21, 22).
This passage is merely a sample indicating the quality of
materials and workmanship that went into the temple.
"Of surpassing beauty and unrivaled splendor was the
palatial building which Solomon and his associates erected for
God and His worship. Garnished with precious stones,
surrounded by spacious courts with magnificent approaches,
and lined with carved cedar and burnished gold, the temple
structure, with its broidered hangings and rich furnishings, was
a fit emblem for the living church of God on earth, which
through the ages has been building in accordance with the
divine pattern, with materials that have been likened to 'gold,
silver, precious stones,' polished after the similitude of a
palace.' 1 Corinthians 3:12; Psalm 144:12. Of this spiritual
temple Christ is 'the chief Cornerstone.'
"—Prophets and
Kings,
p. 36.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is it possible to spend too much in the building of God's
house?
If such an output of energy and wealth was appropriate in
Solomon's day in erecting a national temple for the worship of
God, should not we provide the best we can today for local
buildings for His worship?
"Many act as though the Creator of the heavens and the earth,
He who has made everything that is lovely and beautiful in our
world, would be pleased to see a house erected for Him without
order or beauty. Some build large, convenient houses for
themselves, but cannot afford to spend much upon a house
which they are to dedicate to God. Every dollar of the means in
their hands is the Lord's. He has lent it to them for a little while,
to use to His glory; yet they hand out this means for the
advancement of the cause of God as though every dollar thus
expended were a total loss.
"God would not have His people expend means extravagantly
for show or ornament, but He would have them observe
neatness, order, taste, and plain beauty in preparing a house for
Him in which He is to meet with His people. Those who build a
house for God should manifest as much greater interest, care,
and taste in its arrangement as the object for which it is
prepared is higher and more holy than that for which common
dwelling houses are prepared."—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 257.
FURTHER STUDY
1 Kings 5-7; Haggai 1:4-6.
32
The Temple and Its Dedication
LESSON 4
❑
Monday
October 18
Part 2
"Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the
THE TEMPLE heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of
CONSERVED Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of
THE PAST the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. . . .
"And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the
tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up....
"There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which
Moses put therein at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant
with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt"
(2 Chron. 5:2, 5, 10).
What was the purpose of this procedure?
God does not change. Centuries may come and go, nations
may rise and fall, cultures may appear and disappear, but God is
the same yesterday, today, and forever. This being true, there
needs to be continuity in His worship. This does not mean that
customs and forms may not change; but it does mean that the
realities of the past will not be lightly laid aside.
Nearly five hundred years had passed since God gave Moses
the tables of stone, since the ark of the covenant was
constructed. But the passing of five centuries had not lessened
the importance of these elements in Israel's worship.
"At the appointed time the hosts of Israel, with richly clad
representatives from many foreign nations, assembled in the
temple courts. The scene was one of unusual splendor.
Solomon, with the elders of Israel and the most influential men
among the people, had returned from another part of the city,
whence they had brought the ark of the testament. From the
sanctuary on the heights of Gibeon had been transferred the
ancient 'tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels
that were in the tabernacle' (2 Chronicles 5:5); and these
cherished reminders of the earlier experiences of the children
of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness and their
conquest of Canaan, now found a permanent home in the
splendid building that had been erected to take the place of the
portable structure."—Prophets
and Kings,
p. 38.
These objects from the past were more than antiques. They
preserved the content of the worship of God in a day when
books were scarce and the past might have been easily
forgotten. Let us beware of a "now" religion that ignores the
heritage of the past. As Seventh-day Adventists, we have often
repeated: "We have nothing to fear for the future except as we
shall forget the way the Lord has led
us."—Testimonies to
Ministers,
p. 31.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can a church be modern in structure and yet retain
important elements for worship?
FURTHER STUDY
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 38, 39.
33
The Temple and Its Dedication
LESSON 4
❑
Tuesday
October 19
Part 3
"And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,
GOD'S PROMISES Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt
REGARDING walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all
THE TEMPLE my commandments, to walk in them; then will I perform my
word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: and I will
dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my
people Israel" (1 Kings 6:11-13).
What relation does this promise have to worship?
"In the midst of the architectural description is inserted a
brief notice of the Lord's promise concerning the Temple....
"One of the reasons the Lord sent His word at this time was
that Solomon needed to be kept in constant remembrance of
his solemn responsibilities to Heaven. Even when a man is
engaged in working for the Lord, and is acting upon His
command and in fulfillment of His design, it is possible to forget
the necessity of continued rededication of purpose. The danger
is always present that he will take steps that will forfeit the divine
blessing. Again and again the Lord sends to His people
messages destined to remind them of the vital importance of
holding to basic principles which alone will ensure continued
prosperity, peace, and blessing."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
on
1 Kings 6:11.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what circumstances can God bless a project to set up a
church building?
It was as if God had said to Solomon: Solomon, you are
building Me a great temple at the cost of much labor and wealth.
But remember, Solomon, this temple and its services will not
take the place of obedience to My will. In order for the services
of the temple to be significant, they must be performed by a
priesthood and a people who are dedicated to Me and who are
sensitive to My guidance. And remember, Solomon, I desire
earnestly to fulfill My promises and to have a close relationship
with Israel. I will not forsake Israel, but they may forsake Me.
True worship can never exist apart from a close relationship
with God. It becomes mechanical and meaningless without the
obedience prompted by love, but it is one of life's greatest
experiences when its sacred rites are performed in the fear of
God. Every time a church is dedicated to the worship of God, it
would be appropriate to remember God's word to Solomon.
God says to His people today: If you will follow Me, if you will
dedicate your lives to Me, if you will become involved in
unselfish service, if you will witness for Me to the world, I will be
with your church, and I will bless your services, your worship,
your activities, and your witness.
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, pp. 1029, 1030.
34
The Temple and Its Dedication
LESSON 4
❑
Wednesday
October 20
Part 4
"Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant,
SOLOMON'S PRAYER and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this
FOR FORGIVENESS place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven;
and when thou hearest, forgive" (2 Chron. 6:21).
How did Solomon's prayer reveal that Solomon understood
that God's promises were conditional?
Solomon did not presume upon the goodness of God merely
because he had built Him a magnificent temple. Solomon's
prayer, as the king knelt in the presence of the multitude, was
primarily a prayer for forgiveness. Worship was more than an
expression of emotion, it was an acceptance of responsibility.
Solomon asked that Israel might be forgiven whenever their
sins against God got them into trouble and they repented. "If
there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, . . . if their
enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever
sore or whatsoever sickness there be: then what prayer or what
supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy
people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his
own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house: then
hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and
render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart
thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children
of men:) that they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as
they live in the land which thou gayest unto our fathers"
(2 Chron. 6:28-31).
THINK IT THROUGH
What part do confession and forgiveness play in our life and
worship? (See Ps. 51:17.)
As Solomon prayed, he was standing in the shadow of the
temple that contained the mercy seat, the emblem of God's
forgiveness. He was deeply involved in sacrifices, the Old
Testament symbol for mediating the forgiveness of God. The
worship of God is always involved in asking and receiving God's
forgiveness. Confession is a basic element in worship, and the
true worshiper may have every reason to believe that his sins are
forgiven. The Old Testament emphasis on confession and
forgiveness in worship prefigured the New Testament gospel
which revolves around the same theme.
"The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and
just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some
grievous thing in order that we may have the forgiveness of sin.
We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages, or perform
painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven
or to expiate our transgression; but he that confesseth and
forsaketh his sin shall have mercy."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 37.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Lord's Prayer"
pp. 113-116.
35
3-ASSL-4-76
The Temple and Its Dedication
LESSON 4
❑
Thursday
October 21
Part 5
"Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy
SOLOMON'S PRAYER FOR people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great
THE WORSHIPING name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm;
STRANGER if they come and pray in this house; then hear thou from the
heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all
that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth
may know ... that this house which I have built is called by thy
name" (2 Chron. 6:32, 33).
"One of the most touching portions of Solomon's dedicatory
prayer was his plea to God for the strangers that should come
from countries afar to learn more of Him whose fame had been
spread abroad among the nations."—Prophets
and Kings,
p. 66.
This part of the prayer is sandwiched between the eloquent
pleas for forgiveness that precede and follow it.
Why did Solomon include this request in his prayer? Isa.
56:7.
The temple was intended not only as a center of worship for
Israel, but as a lighthouse for all nations. The temple worship
was to have a missionary dimension. Solomon apparently
recognized that this phase of the worship of God might be lost.
And it was. "When the Temple was first established, Solomon
remembered the strangers of other lands, that they too might
hear of God's covenant of grace and come to the Temple to
worship Him. Israel was to be a light that was to enlighten the
world. Had they been faithful to their divine mission, the nation
would not have perished, but would have continued to grow till
it embraced all the nations of earth, till Jerusalem would have
become the world's metropolis, and its Temple would have
become the source of a river of life to bring health and healing to
all."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
on 1 Kings 8:43.
THINK IT THROUGH
Does the worship of God still have a missionary dimension?
"We spend millions of dollars on evangelism, and rightly so;
but the results of our evangelistic efforts will be dissipated if our
new converts are driven away by an irreverent, unsatisfying
Sabbath service. We engage in lay activities that take us up and
down the streets of our cities with literature and with invitations
to enroll in Bible courses. This is good ; but are we deterred from
the finest possible missionary activity—bringing our non-
Adventist friends to our churches—by failure to provide
worshipful Sabbath services? . . .
"These questions demand an answer."—Norval F. Pease,
And Worship Him
(Nashville: Southern Publishing Assn.,
1967), p. 7.
FURTHER STUDY
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 66-68.
36
The Temple and Its Dedication
LESSON 4
❑
Friday
October 22
Part 6
"Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire
GOD HEARD came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering
SOLOMON'S PRAYER and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord,
because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house. And
when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,
and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed
themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement,
and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good;
for his mercy endureth forever" (2 Chron. 7:1-3).
"The king had done everything within his power to encourage
the people to give themselves wholly to God and His service,
and to magnify His holy name. And now once more, as at Gibeon
early in his reign, Israel's ruler was given evidence of divine
acceptance and blessing. In a night vision the Lord appeared to
him with the message: 'I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen
this place to Myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven
that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the
land, or if I send pestilence among My people; if My people,
which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
their land. Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attent
unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen
and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever:
and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.' Verses
[2 Chron. 7:]
12-16."—Prophets and Kings,
pp. 45, 46.
What happened to prevent the fulfillment of God's promises
in the reign of Solomon? 1 Kings 11:4, 5.
"Almost imperceptibly he [Solomon] began to trust less and
less in divine guidance and blessing, and to put confidence in
his own strength.... Yielding to the temptations incident to his
success and his honored position, he forgot the Source of his
prosperity."—Prophets
and Kings,
p. 55.
The worship of God gave way to the worship of man.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are we in danger of forgetting our great experiences of
communion with God?
"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the
things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them
slip" (Heb. 2:1). "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man
take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11). The fact that we have worshiped
God, and that He has answered our prayers, does not excuse us
from vigilance.
FURTHER STUDY
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 45-50.
37
LESSON 5 October 24-30
Isaiah's Concern
About Worship
"With joy you will draw water from
the wells of salvation. And you will say
in that day:
"'Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the
nations,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
"'Sing praises to the Lord, for he has
done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, 0 inhabitant
of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy
One of Israel' " (Isa. 12:3-6, RSV).
There was much in Isaiah's day to
bring discouragement to the sensitive
soul of the prophet.
"The times in which Isaiah was to
labor were fraught with peculiar peril
to the people of God. The prophet was
to witness the invasion of Judah by the
combined armies of northern Israel
and of Syria; he was to behold the
Assyrian hosts encamped before the
chief cities of the kingdom. . . .
"But the dangers from without,
overwhelming though they seemed,
were not so serious as the dangers
from within. Itwas the perversity of his
people that brought to the Lord's
servant the greatest perplexity and the
deepest depression. . . .
"The outlook was particularly
discouraging as regards the social
conditions of the people. . . . Justice
was perverted, and no pity was shown
the poor. . . .
"With oppression and wealth came
pride and love of display, gross
drunkenness, and a spirit of revelry.
.And in Isaiah's day idolatry itself no
longer provoked surprise. . . .
Iniquitous practices had become so
prevalent among all classes that the
few who remained true to God were
often tempted to lose heart and to give
way to discouragement and despair. It
seemed as if God's purpose for Israel
were about to fail and that the
rebellious nation was to suffer a fate
similar to that of Sodom and
Gomorrah."—Prophets
and Kings,
pp.
305, 306.
Yet
for sixty years Isaiah was a
prophet of hope to Israel, and with
great sensitivity he called Israel to the
worship of God.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
A Warning Against
Hypocritical Worship (Isa. 1:12, 13)
2.
A Warning Against Idol
Worship (Isa. 2:8)
3.
Isaiah's Vision of God (Isa. 6:1-4)
4.
Isaiah's Humility in God's
Presence (Isa. 6:5)
5.
Isaiah Receives God's
Blessing (Isa. 6:6, 7)
6.
Isaiah Accepts God's
Commission (Isa. 6:8)
Isaiah's Concern About Worship
LESSON 5
❑
Sunday
October 24
Part 1
"When you come to appear before me,
A WARNING AGAINST
who requires of you
HYPOCRITICAL
this trampling of my courts?
WORSHIP
Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies—
! cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly" (Isa. 1:12,
13, RSV).
In the Old Testament prophets there is a continual struggle
between religious formality and spiritual experience. Isaiah is
joined by Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, and others in warning
against the danger of going through the motions of religion
without understanding the real nature of service for God.
"Judah was still, outwardly, a very religious nation. Great
numbers of sacrifices were offered at the Temple, but there was
little true religion. While maintaining the external forms of
religion the professed people of God had forgotten what it was
that God really wanted of them. They were willing to offer
sacrifices, but not to give their hearts to the Lord. They knew the
forms of religion, but they did not understand their need of a
Saviour or the meaning of righteousness. Isaiah endeavored to
bring the people to their senses. . . . By a series of pointed
questions he hoped to bring home to them the fact that a
religion consisting only of outward forms was an offense in the
sight of God."8SDA
Bible Commentary,
on Isa. 1:11.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways may we substitute formalism for godliness?
"In every age, a majority of the professed followers of Christ
have disregarded those precepts which enjoin self-denial and
humility, which require modesty and simplicity of conversation,
deportment, and apparel. The result has ever been the
same,—departure from the teachings of the gospel leads to the
adoption of the fashions, customs, and principles of the world.
Vital godliness gives place to a dead formalism. The presence
and power of God, withdrawn from those world-loving circles,
are found with a class of humbler worshipers, who are willing to
obey the teachings of the Sacred Word. Through successive
generations, this course has been pursued. One after another,
different denominations have risen and, yielding their simplic-
ity, have lost, in a great measure, their early
power."—Messages
to Young People,
p. 354.
FURTHER STUDY
Jer. 7:3-12; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8.
40
Isaiah's Concern About Worship
LESSON 5
❑
Monday
October 25
Part 2
A WARNING AGAINST
IDOL WORSHIP
"Their land is filled with idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their own fingers have made" (Isa. 2:8, RSV).
One of the great problems of Isaiah's day was that of the
worship of idols. It seemed a hopeless task to wean his people
away from the gods of their neighbors. Isaiah resorted to
sarcasm in his attempt to get his idea across. (Read Isaiah 44:-
12-21.)
"14.
The rain.
Men may plant the seed from which the tree
sprouts, but only God can make it grow. Without the power of
God there would be no tree from which to carve an idol!
"15.
Yea, he maketh a god.
It is a mere matter of chance
which piece of wood is used for fuel and which for the idol!
"16.
He burneth part.
The folly of making a god out of
something a man has the power to destroy!
"He roasteth roast.
Dead Sea scroll 110Is' reads, 'upon his
charcoal he sits.'
"17.
Deliver me.
The wood could not have delivered itself
from the fire had he chosen to burn it instead of worship it! How
foolish of a man who has used most of his wood for fuel to shape
one of the leftover sticks into an idol and expect it to have the
strength and the intelligence to save his life!
"18.
They have not known.
Men who do worship images have
little knowledge. Their foolish hearts are dark, and though they
profess to be wise they are fools (Rom. 1:21-23). . . .
"19.
The stock of a tree.
Literally, 'the dry wood of a tree.' He
who worships an idol merely pays reverence to a block of wood.
He talks to it and bows down before it, little thinking that it
would be as sensible to make his requests to a staff. . . .
"20.
He feedeth on ashes.
How foolish a man would be to
make a meal of ashes, expecting nourishment from them. It is
equally foolish to think that an idol can benefit man.
"21.
Remember these.
God calls Israel to heed what He has
said about the folly of worshiping idols. Israel belongs to God;
they are to serve Him."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
on Isa.
44:14-21.
THINK IT THROUGH
What experience was intended to save both the ancient and
the modern church from idolatry? (See Ex. 31: 13-17.)
"The Lord designed that by a faithful observance of the Sab-
bath command, Israel should continually be reminded of their
accountability to Him as their Creator and their Redeemer.
While they should keep the Sabbath in the proper spirit, idolatry
could not
exist."—Prophets and Kings,
p. 182.
FURTHER STUDY
Isaiah 40:12-26.
41
Isaiah's Concern About Worship
LESSON 5
❑
Tuesday
October 26
Part 3
ISAIAH'S VISION
OF GOD
What experience came to the prophet in a year of calamity?
"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon
a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple.
Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings; with two
he
covered his face and with two he covered his feet, and with
two he flew. And one called to another and said:
" 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.'
"And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of
him who called, and the house was filled with smoke" (Isa.
6:1-4, RSV).
"In the year that king Uzziah died, Isaiah was permitted in
vision to look into the holy place, and into the holy of holies in
the heavenly sanctuary. The curtains of the innermost
sanctuary were drawn aside, and a throne high and lifted up,
towering as it were to the very heavens, was revealed to his
gaze. An indescribable glory emanated from a personage on the
throne, and His train filled the temple, as His glory will finally fill
the earth. Cherubim were on either side of the mercy-seat, as
guards round the great king, and they glowed with the glory that
enshrouded them from the presence of God. As their songs of
praise resounded in deep, earnest notes of adoration, the pillars
of the gate trembled, as if shaken by an earthquake. These holy
beings sang forth the praise and glory of God with lips
unpolluted with sin. The contrast between the feeble praise
which he had been accustomed to bestow upon the Creator and
the fervid praises of the seraphim, astonished and humiliated
the prophet. He had for the time being the sublime privilege of
appreciating the spotless purity of Jehovah's exalted
character."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 4, pp. 1139, 1140.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does Isaiah's experience tell us about worship?
Parts 4-6 of this lesson continue to answer this question. The
first lesson is that the worshiper must "see the Lord." He may
not receive a vision of the temple in heaven, as Isaiah did,
nevertheless he will become conscious of the presence of God.
This consciousness will shut out the world, and make him
sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This realization of
the presence of God comes only to the person who has
prepared himself for it by dedication and commitment. Only the
pure in heart will see God. (See Matt. 5:8.)
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
on Isa. 6:1-4.
42
Isaiah's Concern About Worship
LESSON 5
❑
Wednesday
October 27
Part 4
"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a
ISAIAH'S HUMILITY man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of
IN GOD'S PRESENCE unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
hosts" (Isa. 6:5).
Did Isaiah really mean that he was in need of personal
forgiveness and transformation?
"Isaiah had denounced the sin of others; but now he sees
himself exposed to the same condemnation he had pronounced
upon them. He had been satisfied with a cold, lifeless ceremony
in his worship of God. He had not known this until the vision was
given him of the Lord. How little now appeared his wisdom and
talents as he looked upon the sacredness and majesty of the
sanctuary. How unworthy he was! how unfitted for sacred
service! His view of himself might be expressed in the language
of the apostle Paul, '0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver
me from the body of this death?' "—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 1139.
THINK IT THROUGH
After we have had a glimpse of God, what is the next step in
worship and Christian experience?
"It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to
see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character. It
is not enough to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to
see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the
apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, 'I consent unto the law
that it is good.' The law is holy, and the commandment holy,
and just, and good.' But he added, in the bitterness of his
soul-anguish and despair, 'I am carnal, sold under sin.' Romans
7:16, 12, 14. He longed for the purity, the righteousness, to
which in himself he was powerless to attain, and cried out, '0
wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of
death?' Romans 7:24, margin. Such is the cry that has gone up
from burdened hearts in all lands and in all
ages."—Steps to
Christ,
p. 19.
What does a deep feeling of spiritual need have to do with the
worship of God? Here, again, worship and salvation are closely
related. A glimpse of God makes us feel our need of Him.
Feeling our need puts us in the attitude where God can help us.
God's action in forgiving our sins and transforming our lives
causes us to come to Him in grateful adoration and worship. In
fact, a real experience of conversion and regeneration cannot
be separated from the experience of worship. The closer our
relation to God, the more anxious we will be to worship Him, and
the more we worship Him, the closer will be our relationship to
God.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"The Sinner's Need of Christ," pp. 17-22.
43
Isaiah's Concern About Worship
LESSON 5
❑
Thursday
October 28
Part 5
ISAIAH RECEIVES
GOD'S BLESSING
What effect does a genuine worship experience have on the
personal life?
"Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal
in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the
altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath
touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin
purged" (Isa. 6:6, 7).
When we really see God, respond to Him, and recognize our
need, He responds by forgiving our sins and transforming our
lives. One of the primary purposes of worship is to keep us in
touch with the One whose transforming friendship can make us
what we ought to be. This cleansing and converting power can
only be experienced if our worship is sincere. Mere formalities
will leave our lives empty and unchanged.
"As they [God's people in the last days] look by faith into the
holy of holies, and see the work of Christ in the heavenly
sanctuary, they perceive that they are a people of unclean
lips,—a people whose lips have often spoken vanity, and whose
talents have not been sanctified and employed to the glory of
God. Well may they despair as they contrast their own weakness
and unworthiness with the purity and loveliness of the glorious
character of Christ. But if they, like Isaiah, will receive the
impression the Lord designs shall be made upon the heart, if
they will humble their souls before God, there is hope for them.
The bow of promise is above the throne, and the work done for
Isaiah will be performed in them. God will respond to the peti-
tions coming from the contrite heart."—Ellen G. White
Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 1139.
THINK IT THROUGH
When we go to the church to worship, what can ensure that
we experience God's transforming grace?
"Our meetings should be made intensely interesting. They
should be pervaded with the very atmosphere of heaven. Let
there be no long, dry speeches and formal prayers merely for
the sake of occupying the time. All should be ready to act their
part with promptness, and when their duty is done, the meeting
should be closed. Thus the interest will be kept up to the last.
This is offering to God acceptable worship. His service should
be made interesting and attractive and not be allowed to
degenerate into a dry form. We must live for Christ minute by
minute, hour by hour, and day by day; then Christ will dwell in
us, and when we meet together, His love will be in our hearts,
welling up like a spring in the desert, refreshing all, and making
those who are ready to perish, eager to drink of the waters of
life."—Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 609.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ, "Faith
and Acceptance," pp. 49-55.
44
Isaiah's Concern About Worship
LESSON 5
❑
Friday
October 29
Part 6
What is the relation between worship and a sense of
ISAIAH ACCEPTS mission?
GOD'S COMMISSION
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I
send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me"
(Isa. 6:8).
"As he [Isaiah] stood in the portico of the temple, the Lord
revealed Himself to him. The veil of the temple was withdrawn,
the door lifted, and he had a view of the holy of holies within the
veil. He saw the God of Israel before the throne high and lifted
up, and the train of His glory filled the temple. As Isaiah senses
his own sinfulness, he cries out, 'I am a man of unclean lips, and
I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.' And there was
seen the hand that took the live coal from off the altar, and
touched his lips, and bade him be clean. Then he was ready to
go with the message, and he said, 'Send me'; for he knew that
the Spirit of God would be with the message.
"To those who are engaged in the work of God, in the
conversion of souls, it would seem as though it was impossible
to reach the obdurate heart. This is how Isaiah felt, but when he
saw that there was a God above the cherubim, and that they
were ready to work with God, he was ready to carry the
message."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 4, p. 1141.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can we summarize Isaiah's contribution toward a
clearer understanding of the worship of God?
Isaiah was tremendously concerned about his people. They
had lost sight of the real meaning of worship, and many of them
were worshiping idols. To help him meet this great need, God
gave him a vision. When he saw God, he felt his own need. When
he felt his own need, God met that need. When God met his
need, Isaiah was equipped to go on God's mission.
This is the
model of the authentic worship of God in every age.
Every
service of worship, be it personal, family, or church, should
have these ingredients—a glimpse of God, a feeling of humility,
an experience of transformation, and a dedication to mission.
"To everyone who becomes a partaker of His grace the Lord
appoints a work for others. Individually we are to stand in our lot
and place, saying, 'Here am I; send me.' Isaiah 6:8. Upon the
minister of the word, the missionary nurse, the Christian
physician, the individual Christian, whether he be merchant or
farmer, professional man or mechanic—the responsibility rests
upon all. It is our work to reveal to men the gospel of their
salvation. Every enterprise in which we engage should be a
means to this end."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 148.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 148-151.
45
"0 come, let us worship and bow
down: let us kneel before the Lord our
maker. For he is our God; and we are
the people of his pasture, and the
sheep of his
hand
'
95:6, 7, first
part).
According to the
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 3, p. 625,
twenty-three of the 150 psalms deal
with "Prayer, Praise, and Adoration."
These are Psalms 16, 55, 65, 86, 89, 90,
95-100, 103, 104, 107, 142, 143, 145-150.
These psalms contain some of the
most widely known gems of sacred
poetry. For example:
"Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy
right hand there are pleasures for
evermore" (Ps. 16:11).
"As for me, I will call upon God; and
the Lord shall save me. Evening and
morning, and at noon, will I pray, and
cry aloud: and he shall hear myvoice"
(Ps. 55:16, 17).
"For thou, Lord, art good, and ready
to forgive; and plenteous in mercy
unto all them that call upon thee" (Ps.
86:5).
"God is greatly to be feared in the
assembly of the saints, and to be had in
reverence of all them that are about
him" (Ps. 89:7).
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling
place in all generations. Before the
mountains were brought forth, or ever
thou hadst formed the earth and the
world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, thou art God" (Ps. 90:
1, 2).
"0 worship the Lord in the beauty of
holiness: fear before him, all the
earth" (Ps. 96:9).
"Enter into his gates with
thanksgiving, and into his courts with
praise: be thankful unto him, and
bless his name" (Ps. 100:4).
"Bless the Lord, 0 my soul: and all
that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget
not all his benefits" (Ps. 103:1, 2).
"0
give thanks unto the Lord, for he
is good: for his mercy endureth for
ever" (Ps. 107:1).
Among the songs of praise are
Psalms 145 to 150. In this lesson we will
study these six, each of them
attributed to David. They reveal in a
unique way the response to his
heavenly Father of one who knows
God.
"There are psalms for every mood,
for every need: psalms for the
disappointed, for the discouraged, for
the aged, for the despairing, for the
sick, for the sinner; and psalms for the
youthful, for the vigorous, for the
hopeful, for the faithful, believing
child of God, for the triumphant saint.
. . . There are psalms in which the
sinner tarries 'in the secret' of God's
'presence' under the shadow' of His
'wings' and pours out his soul alone;
and there are psalms in which the saint
of God joins the vast assembly of
worshipers in the great congregation,
and, to the accompaniment of all
manner of instruments, shouts aloud
the praise of God. And throughout the
whole collection, God is exalted as the
solution to all man's problems, the
ultimate All in all: our hope, our
confidence, our strength, our
triumph—incarnate in the Messiah,
whose coming brings redemption and
ushers in the universal and eternal
reign of righteousness."—SDA
Bible
Commentary,
vol. 3, pp. 620, 621.
Worship in
the Psalms
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
Praise for the Lord's
Goodness and Power (Ps. 145:1-3)
2.
Praise for the Lord's
Righteous Acts (Ps. 146:7-9)
3.
Praise for the Lord's Favor
to Jerusalem (Ps. 147:1, 2)
4.
All Creation Exhorted to
Praise the Lord (Ps. 148:1-4)
5.
Israel Exhorted to Praise
the Lord (Ps. 149:1, 2)
6.
A Call to Praise God With
Music (Ps. 150:1-6)
LESSON 6 October 31 to November 6
Worship in the Psalms
LESSON 6
❑
Sunday
October 31
Part 1
PRAISE FOR THE
LORD'S GOODNESS
AND POWER
THINK IT THROUGH
How often did the psalmist say he would bless the Lord?
"I will extol thee, my God, 0 king; and I will bless thy name
for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise
thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be
praised; and his greatness is unsearchable" (Ps. 145:1-3).
"Every day.
David's praise was not intermittent—not one day
in seven, but every day; not for a brief span, but for all time. Our
love to God and our praise to Him should be a daily matter. Every
day God sends unnumbered blessings to His children, and there
is every reason why we should praise Him daily."—SDA
Bible
Commentary,
on Ps. 145:2.
What specific reasons for praising God are listed in this
psalm?
God's greatness (verse 3); God's works (verses 4-6); God's
goodness (verses 7-9); God's kingly power (verses 10-13); God's
ability to restore (verse 14); God's liberality (verses 15, 16);
God's nearness (verses 18, 19).
Praise for the goodness and power of God will change our
attitude toward life. "Then let us educate our hearts and lips to
speak the praise of God for His matchless love. Let us educate
our souls to be hopeful and to abide in the light shining from the
cross of Calvary."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 253.
In both
The Ministry of Healing,
(p. 435) and
Testimonies
(vol.
8, p. 283), Ellen White quotes Psalm 145:3-21, and comments,
"As we learn more and more of what God is, and of what we
ourselves are in His sight, we shall fear and tremble before
Him."
To what extent do I lack this sense of the greatness,
goodness, and power of God that would make me reverent
and worshipful?
In describing the final scenes of the great controversy, Ellen
White says, "God's wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand
fully vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great
controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal
good of His people and the good of all the worlds that He has
created. 'All Thy works shall praise Thee, 0 Lord; and Thy saints
shall bless Thee.'
"—The Great Controversy,
pp. 670, 671.
Is my reverence for God and my knowledge of Him great
enough today so that it will be the natural thing for me to join in
His praise at the end of the drama of the ages?
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
on Psalm 145.
48
Worship in the Psalms
LESSON 6
❑
Monday
November 1
Part 2
PRAISE FOR THE
RD'S RIGHTEOUS ACTS
"The Lord looseth the prisoners: the Lord openeth the eyes
of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the
Lord loveth the righteous: the Lord preserveth the strangers;
he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the
wicked he turneth upside down" (Ps. 146:7-9).
What similar Old Testament text did Jesus quote at the
synagogue at Nazareth?
"The Spirit of the Lord.God is upon me; because the Lord
hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath
sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound"
(Isa. 61:1). (Note that when Jesus referred to this text in Luke
4:18, He added the phrase, "and recovering of sight to the
blind.")
What other reasons for worshiping God are listed in Psalm
146?
1.
God is Creator (verse 6).
2.
God "keepeth truth for ever" (RSV; "keeps faith")
(verse 6).
3.
God is the judge (verse 7).
4.
God feeds the hungry (verse 7).
5.
God will reign forever (verse 10).
THINK IT THROUGH
What do passages like these tell us about the privilege of
worshiping God?
Every one of us, every day, is the recipient of multiplied
blessings from God. As Paul said, "In him we live, and move, and
have our being" (Acts 17:28). These blessings include provision
for our temporal needs, forgiveness for sins, ability to overcome
sin, security in an insecure world, divine companionship, the
fellowship of the church, and hope of eternal life. Surely these
blessings are reason enough for praise and worship.
"Every step in life may bring us closer to Jesus, may give us a
deeper experience of His love, and may bring us one step nearer
to the blessed home of peace. Then let us not cast away our
confidence, but have firm assurance, firmerthan ever before....
Let us look to the monumental pillars, reminders of what the
Lord has done to comfort us and to save us from the hand of the
destroyer. Let us keep fresh in our memory all the tender
mercies that God has shown us,—the tears He has wiped away,
the pains He has soothed, the anxieties removed, the fears
dispelled, the wants supplied, the blessings bestowed,—thus
strengthening ourselves for all that is before us through the
remainder of our pilgrimage."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 125.
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
on Psalm 146.
49
Worship in the
Psalms
LESSON 6
❑
Tuesday
November 2
Part 3
"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our
PRAISE FOR THE God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. The Lord doth
LORD'S FAVOR build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of
TO JERUSALEM Israel" (Ps. 147:1, 2).
What does this statement about "Jerusalem" mean to us?
To the Israelites, Jerusalem was the center of national and
spiritual life, a symbol of their relationship to their God. The
nearest parallel we have today is the church. It is appropriate to
apply the statements of Psalm 147 to the church.
What does God do for His people that should inspire their
praise and worship?
1.
He gathers the outcasts (verse 2).
2.
He heals the brokenhearted (verse 3).
3.
He has infinite power and understanding (verse 5).
4.
He lifts up the meek (verse 6).
5.
He subdues the wicked (verse 6).
6.
He provides food (verses 8, 9, 14).
7.
He provides security (verse 13).
8.
He blesses their children (verse 13).
9.
He provides peace (verse 14).
10.
He provides water for the land (verses 16-18).
11.
He reveals His laws (verse 19).
"How precious are the lessons of this psalm. We might well
devote study to the last four psalms of
David."—Fundamentals
of Christian Education,
p. 371.
THINK IT THROUGH
What do these promises to the church mean to me person-
ally?
"Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case
before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The
way will be open for you to disentangle yourself from
embarrassment and difficulty. The weaker and more helpless
you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His
strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in
casting them upon your Burden Bearer.
"Circumstances may separate friends; the restless waters of
the wide sea may roll between us and them. But no
circumstances, no distance, can separate us from the Saviour.
Wherever we may be, He is at our right hand, to support,
maintain, uphold, and cheer."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p.72.
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
on Psalm 147; Psalm 135.
50
Worship in the Psalms
LESSON 6
❑
Wednesday
November 3
Part 4
ALL CREATION
EXHORTED TO
PRAISE THE LORD
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens:
praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise
ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him,
all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye
waters that be above the heavens" (Ps. 148:1-4).
Psalm 148 is divided into two parts: the praise of God in
heaven (verses 1-6), and the praise of God on earth (verses
7-14).
What is meant by praising God "from the heavens"?
The kingdom of God encompasses the entire universe. This
psalm not only pictures all the beings of the universe praising
God, but it also personifies the sun, moon, and stars, and other
created things as returning praise to their Creator.
The same sentiment is found in Psalm 103: "Bless the Lord, ye
his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments....
Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his
pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his
dominion: bless the Lord, 0 my soul" (verses 20-22).
Under what circumstances are the followers of God to offer
their praises to Him? Ps. 146:2; 145:1, 2.
Praise for God is appropriate under many circumstances. In
Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 108, 109, there is a section that connects
singing of psalms of praise with churches and church schools:
"I saw in different places new companies of believers being
raised up and meetinghouses being erected.... In the basement
of the church, above ground, I was shown a room provided for a
school where the children could be educated in the truths of
God's word. . . .
"As the work was being pressed forward, I heard the voices of
children and parents singing: . . .
'Praise ye the Lord from the heavens:
Praise Him in the heights.
Praise ye Him, all His angels:
Praise ye Him, all His hosts.
Praise ye Him, sun and moon:
Praise Him, all ye stars of light.' Psalm 148:1-3.
"The companies that are raised up need a place of worship.
Schools are needed where Bible instruction may be given to the
children."
THINK IT THROUGH
Since the above instruction was given, churches and
schools have been multiplied around the world. Do the
praises of God still reverberate in these buildings? It is this
spirit of worship that makes them effective.
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
on Psalm 148.
51
41-41
GC I
Worship in the Psalms
LESSON 6
❑
Thursday
November 4
Part 5
ISRAEL EXHORTED
TO PRAISE
THE LORD
What place does joy have in the worship God?
"Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his
praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him
that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King"
(Ps. 149:1, 2).
This brief psalm stresses the joy of worship. "Let Israel
rejoice." "Let the children of Zion be joyful." "Let the saints be
joyful in glory" (verse 5).
"The religious life is not one of gloom and of sadness but of
peace and joy coupled with Christlike dignity and holy so-
lemnity. We are not encouraged by our Saviour to cherish
doubts and fears and distressing forebodings; these bring no
relief to the soul and should be rebuked rather than praised. We
may have joy unspeakable and full of
glory."—Evangelism,
p.
180.
"God desired to bring all peoples under His merciful rule. He
desired that the earth should be filled with joy and peace. He
created man for happiness, and He longs to fill human hearts
with the peace of
heaven."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 290.
"Anciently the Lord bade Israel, when they met together for
His service, 'Ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall
rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your
households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.'
Deuteronomy 12:7. That which is done for the glory of God
should be done with cheerfulness, with songs of praise and
thanksgiving, not with sadness and gloom. . . .
"It should be a pleasure to worship the Lord and to take part in
His
work."—Steps to Christ,
p. 103.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can the Christian maintain a spirit of happiness? (See
Ps. 19:8.)
"Those who in everything make God first and last and best,
are the happiest people in the
world."—Messages to Young
People,
p. 38.
"A meek and quiet spirit will not be ever looking out for
happiness for itself, but will seek for self-forgetfulness and find
sweet content and true satisfaction in making others
happy."—Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 536.
"True happiness springs from a heart at peace with
God."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 942.
A happy Christian life tends to produce a worshiping
Christian, because happiness must be expressed in praise and
gratitude. If we were happier, might it be pdssible that our
worship would be more spontaneous?
FURTHER STUDY
Psalm 16.
52
Worship in the Psalms
LESSON 6
❑
Friday
November 5
Part 6
A CALL TO PRAISE
GOD WITH MUSIC
THINK IT THROUGH
What was the function of sacred music in ancient times?
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him
in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts:
praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him
with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and
harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with
stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud
cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let
every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the
Lord" (Ps. 150:1-6).
"The service of song was made a regular part of religious
worship, and David composed psalms . . . to be sung by the
people in their journeys to the national altar at the annual feasts.
The influence thus exerted was far-reaching, and it resulted in
freeing the nation from idolatry. Many of the surrounding
peoples, beholding the prosperity of Israel, were led to think
favorably of Israel's
God."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 711.
What is the function of sacred music in our day?
"As the children of Israel, journeying through the wilderness,
cheered their way by the music of sacred song, so God bids His
children today gladden their pilgrim life. There are few means
more effective for fixing His words in the memory than
repeating them in song. And such song has wonderful power. It
has power to subdue rude and uncultivated natures; power to
quicken thought and to awaken sympathy, to promote harmony
of action, and to banish the gloom and foreboding that destroy
courage and weaken effort.
"It is one of the most effective means of impressing the heart
with spiritual truth. Flow often to the soul hard-pressed and
ready to despair, memory recalls some word of God's,—the
long-forgotten burden of a childhood song,—and temptations
lose their power, life takes on new meaning and new purpose,
and courage and gladness are imparted to other souls!"—
Education,
pp. 167, 168.
"Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When
tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by
faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God. . . .
"Song is a weapon that we can always use against
discouragement. As we thus open the heart to the sunlight of
the Saviour's presence, we shall have health and His
blessing."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 254.
Are we utilizing this blessing of musical expression as we
might?
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 159-163.
53
LESSON 7 November 7-13
Jesus
and Worship
"But the hour cometh, and now is,
when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and in
truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him. God is a Spirit: and they
that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth" (John 4:23, 24).
The woman at Jacob's well had
raised a question regarding the proper
place to worship God—Jerusalem or
Samaria? Jesus answered her question
by describing the nature of true
worship.
"Not by seeking a holy mountain or
a sacred temple are men brought into
communion with heaven. Religion is
not to be confined to external forms
and ceremonies. The religion that
comes from God is the only religion
that will lead to God. . . . Wherever a
soul reaches out after God, there the
Spirit's working is manifest, and God
will reveal Himself to that soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 189.
This concept of worship appears
again and again in the teachings of
Jesus. He saw the futility of the formal
worship of the day. He recognized that
spiritual worship was fast
disappearing. As a result, one
important aspect of His work was "to
establish an altogether different
worship."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 157.
The purpose of this lesson is to
explore Jesus' teaching regarding
worship, to examine the respects in
which it is "altogether different," and
to make applications to the life of the
Christian today.
It is inevitable that Jesus should have
had something to say about worship.
One theologian has said, "Christian
worship is the most momentous, the
most urgent, the most glorious action
that can take place in human life." If
this be true, surely Jesus would not
overlook such an important part of
Christian experience.
Worship is a redeemed man's
response to his Redeemer. It is what
happens when a person really senses
the grace of God. It is the sense of awe
and gratitude that takes possession of
us when we come to realize what God
has done for us. Worship, therefore, is
closely related to Christ and His
gospel. The Christian cannot help but
express his gratitude, his adoration,
and his love. This may be done in
various ways. Worship is one of these
ways.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
Jesus Teaches Reverence
(John 2:13-16)
2.
Jesus Relates Worship and
Life (Matt. 5:23, 24)
3.
Jesus Relates Worship and
Obedience (Matt. 15:8, 9)
4.
Jesus Teaches How Not to
Pray (Matt. 6:5, 7, 8)
5.
Jesus Teaches How to Pray
(Matt. 6:9-13)
6.
Jesus Teaches Worshipful
Sabbath Observance (Mark 2:
27, 28)
Jesus and Worship
LESSON 7
❑
Sunday
November 7
Part 1
How did Jesus show His concern for reverence for the place
JESUS TEACHES of worship and divine services?
REVERENCE
"And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold
oxen
and
sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and
when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all
out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out
the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto
them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my
Father's house an house of merchandise" (John 2:13-16).
"He [Jesus] acted as He did because God's house was being
desecrated. In the Temple there was worship without reverence.
... Worship without reverence can be a terrible thing.... It may
be the use of the house of God for purposes and in a way where
reverence and the true function of God's house is forgotten. In
that Temple court at Jerusalem there would be arguments
about prices, disputes about coins that were worn and thin, the
clatter of the market place in the court of the house of God. That
particular way of irreverence may not be common now, but
there are other ways of offering an irreverent worship to
God."—From
The Gospel of John,
translated and interpreted by
William Barclay (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956),
vol. 1, pp. 98, 99. Used by permission.
"So great was the confusion that the worshipers were
disturbed, and the words addressed to the Most High were
drowned in the uproar that invaded the temple."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 155.
"The priests and rulers were called to be the representatives
of God to the nation; they should have corrected the abuses of
'the temple court. They should have given to the people an
example of integrity and compassion. Instead of studying their
own profit, they should have considered the situation and needs
of the worshipers, and should have been ready to assist those
who were not able to buy the required sacrifices. But this they
did not do. Avarice had hardened their hearts."—The
Desire of
Ages,
pp. 156, 157.
THINK IT THROUGH
What lessons does Jesus' cleansing of the temple have for
us?
1.
The church is a house for prayer, and not a place where we
buy or sell.
2.
The church is where our thoughts are turned to God and
His goodness, and not to man and his wickedness.
3.
The church is a place where we "tread softly" because we
do not want to draw attention away from God and to ourselves.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 154-161.
56
Jesus and Worship
LESSON 7
❑
Monday
November 8
Part 2
What prerequisite to effective worship did Jesus describe in
JESUS RELATES the Sermon on the Mount?
WORSHIP AND LIFE
"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave
there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift"
(Matt. 5:23, 24).
What life situation does this text suggest?
Picture a sincere follower of God who had saved for many
months to present a gift to God. He is on his way to the altar
where this gift will be dedicated, when it occurs to him that his
neighbor is angry with him as a result of a business deal. What
should he do? Could he not make his peace with his neighbor
after
he returns home from the religious service? No. Jesus
says, Leave your gift. Go all the way home. Find your neighbor
and straighten up the dispute. Then come back to the altar and
offer your gift.
What does this text tell us about worship?
"The act of offering a personal 'gift,' or sacrifice, was
considered to be among the most holy and important of all
religious acts, but even it must take second place under the
circumstances set forth. It is possible that the 'gift' here
mentioned was a sacrifice made to secure divine forgiveness
and favor. Christ insists that men must make things right with
their fellow men before they can be reconciled with God (see
Matt. 6:15; 1 John 4:20). The more important obligation takes
precedence over one of less importance. Reconciliation is more
important than sacrifice."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
on Matt.
5:24.
"Many are zealous in religious services, while between them
and their brethren are unhappy differences which they might
reconcile. God requires them to do all in their power to restore
harmony. Until they do this, He cannot accept their
services."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 311.
THINK IT THROUGH
Which is more important, to attend the church service, or to
be at peace with one's brethren?
Just as a sin offering for a theft would be ineffective until the
stolen goods were returned, so an endeavor to go through the
forms of worshiping God is a mockery if we lack kindness,
compassion, and forgiveness for our fellowman.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 309-311.
57
Jesus and Worship
LESSON 7
❑
Tuesday
November 9
Part 3
Under what conditions is worship meaningless?
JESUS RELATES
WORSHIP AND
"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and
OBEDIENCE honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But
in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men" (Matt. 15:8, 9).
What is the background of this passage?
A delegation of scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem
questioned Jesus because His disciples did not observe the
ceremonial washings that were considered so important by the
Jews. Jesus replied by pointing out the hypocrisy of one of their
traditions that made it possible for them to evade their
responsibility to look after the needs of their parents. He thus
revealed the inconsistency of their religion which demanded
meticulous observance of ceremonies but permitted neglect of
the needs of aging parents. In order to reinforce His reproof
Jesus paraphrased Isaiah 29:13. A study of this passage in
Isaiah and the parallel Gospel passages in Matthew 15 and Mark
7 reveals a great truth:
God demands obedience as an evidence
of the genuineness of worship.
The heart and the hands must
support what the mouth proclaims.
THINK IT THROUGH
Can a person worship God acceptably when he has not yet
put away a known sin?
"Although God dwells not in temples made with hands, yet He
honors with His presence the assemblies of His people. He has
promised that when they come together to seek Him, to
acknowledge their sins, and to pray for one another, He will
meet with them by His Spirit. But those who assemble to
worship Him should put away every evil thing."—Prophets
and
Kings,
p. 50.
Cain's worship was not acceptable because it was contrary to
divine direction. Israel's many lapses into Baal worship were
self destructive because Baal worship was immoral. The
worship of Israel in the time of the prophets was unacceptable
because the worshipers were violating the basic principles of
human relations. Savonarola is quoted as saying, "True
worship consists of holiness of life."
"It [the divine Spirit] will give us a willing obedience to all His
requirements. This is true worship. It is the fruit of the working
of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit every sincere prayer is indited,
and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches
out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest, and God
will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is
seeking. He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons
and daughters."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 189.
FURTHER STUDY
Mark 7:1-23;
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 395-398.
58
Jesus and Worship
LESSON 7
❑
Wednesday
November 10
Part 4
What mistakes should the Christian avoid when he prays?
JESUS TEACHES
HOW NOT
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites
TO PRAY are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in
the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily
I say unto you, They have their reward."
"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father
knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him"
(Matt. 6:5, 7, 8).
Why did Jesus warn against ostentation?
"The Jewish system of prayer made ostentation very easy.
The Jew prayed standing, with hands stretched out, palms
upwards, and with head bowed. Prayer had to be said at 9 am, 12
midday, and 3 pm. It had to be said wherever a man might be,
and it was easy for a man to make sure that at these hours he
was at a busy street corner, or in a crowded city square, so that
all the world might see with what devotion he prayed. It was easy
for a man to halt on the top step of the entrance to the
synagogue, and there pray lengthily and demonstratively, so
that all men might admire his exceptional piety. It was easy to
put on an act of prayer which all the world might see."—From
The Gospel of Matthew,
translated and interpreted by William
Barclay (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1958), vol. 1, p.
196. Used by permission.
Why did Jesus warn against repetition?
"There was an attempt to pile up every possible title and
adjective in the address of the prayer to God.... There is one
Jewish prayer which actually begins with sixteen different
adjectives attached to the name of God. There was a kind of
intoxication with words. When a man begins to think more of
how he is praying than of what he is praying, his prayer dies
upon his lips."—From
The Gospel of Matthew,
translated and
interpreted by William Barclay, vol. 1, p. 196.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can we be guilty of ostentation and repetition in
prayer?
The whole point of prayer is communion with God. The
person who prays the same prayer over and over again, with
practically no variation, is as guilty of repetition as were the
religionists of old.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The True Motive in
Service," pp. 83-87.
59
Jesus and Worship
LESSON 7
❑
Thursd
ay
November 11
Part 5
"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
JESUS TEACHES heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
HOW TO PRAY done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen" (Matt. 6:9-13).
What does Jesus' model prayer teach us about prayer?
Corporate prayer.
Jesus counseled his followers to go alone
into their "closet" to pray, yet His prayer used the first person
plural—"Our" Father—Give "us" "our" daily bread—Forgive
"us" "our" debts—Lead "us" not into temptation—Deliver "us"
from evil. Jesus wished His praying followers to identify
themselves with other people and to include them in their
prayers.
Prayer should include praise.
The first three petitions of the
Lord's prayer extol the name, the kingdom, and the will of God.
All true prayer must recognize the greatness of God. The prayer,
in Matthew's record, also closes on this note.
Prayer may include petition.
"The first half of the prayerJesus
has taught us is in regard to the name and kingdom and will of
God—that His name may be honored, His kingdom established,
His will performed. When you have thus made God's service
your first interest, you may ask with confidence that your own
needs may be supplied. If you have renounced self and given
yourself to Christ you are a member of the family of God, and
everything in the Father's house is for
you."—Thoughts From
the Mount of Blessing,
p. 110.
What is the relation between prayer and worship?
Prayer includes worship„ Prayer is also one of the most
significant aspects of Christian experience. It is on our knees
that we come to know and worship God; and it is on our knees
that we find spiritual strength and fulfillment. The relationship
between the worship of God and Christian living becomes real
in the experience of prayer.
THINK IT THROUGH
How should we use the Lord's Prayer in structuring our own
prayer life?
60
FURTHER STUDY
Jesus said, "After this manner ... pray ye." He did not intend
that Christians should limit themselves to repeating the Lord's
Prayer. He expected that our prayers would be characterized by
the same simplicity, the same reverence, the same concerns
that are found in the model prayer.
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Lord's Prayer,"
pp. 102-109.
Jesus and Worship
LESSON 7
❑
Friday
November 12
Part 6
"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man,
JESUS TEACHES and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord
WORSHIPFUL SABBATH also of the sabbath" (Mark 2:27, 28).
OBSERVANCE
There are seven recorded miracles of Jesus performed on
the Sabbath:
1.
The healing of the lame man at Bethesda (John 5:1-15).
2.
The demoniac in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28).
3.
Peter's mothei'-in-law (Mark 1:29-31).
4.
The man with a withered hand (Mark 3:1-6).
5.
The man born blind (John 9:1-41).
6.
The crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17).
7.
The man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6).
Each miracle demonstrated proper Sabbath keeping.
What should be our attitude toward Sabbath keeping as part
of our worship?
"The Sabbath is not intended to be a period of useless
inactivity. The law forbids secular labor on the rest day of the
Lord; the toil that gains a livelihood must cease; no labor for
worldly pleasure or profit is lawful upon that day; but as God
ceased His labor of creating, and rested upon the Sabbath and
blessed it, so man is to leave the occupations of his daily life,
and devote those sacred hours to healthful rest, to worship, and
to holy deeds."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 207.
"No other institution which was committed to the Jews
tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as
did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should
designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their
separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true
God. But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must
themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers
of the righteousness of Christ. When the command was given to
Israel, 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,' the Lord
said also to them, 'Ye shall be holy men unto Me.' Ex. 20:8;
22:31. Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the
worshipers of God."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 283.
THINK IT THROUGH
How should the Sabbath hours be spent? (See Matt. 12:12.)
"God has given man six days in which to do his own work and
carry on the usual business of life; but He claims one day, which
He has set apart and sanctified. He gives it to man as a day in
which he may rest from labor and devote himself to worship and
the improvement of his spiritual condition."—Testimonies, vol.
4, p. 249.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 281-289.
61
"Let us hold fast the profession of
our faith without wavering; (for he is
faithful that promised;) and let us
consider one another to provoke unto
love and to good works: not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much
the more, as ye see the day
approaching" (Heb. 10:23-25).
The format of the Epistle to the
Hebrews seems to be that of a sermon.
In the above verses the preacher
exhorts his congregation regarding
some very important items relating to
their Christian experience:
First, he urges, "Let us be firm and
unswerving in the confession of our
hope" (verse 23, NEB). He was
encouraging Christians to share their
faith, their experience, and their
hope.
Second, he continued, "We ought
to see how each of us may best arouse
others to love and active goodness"
(verse 24, NEB). He recognized the
necessity of Christians helping each
other find fulfillment in their Christian
lives.
Finally, he concludes, "Not staying
away from our meetings, as some do,
but rather encouraging one another,
all the more because you see the Day
drawing near" (verse 25, NEB). One of
the means of building a church of
active, sharing Christians was the
experience of meeting together. And
this part of the life of the church was to
become more and more important as
the church approached the second
coming of its Lord.
The New Testament church was
continually meeting together. A
congregation of 500 met with the Lord
after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6),
and another group of 120 met in an
upper room after the resurrection
(Acts 1:15). Part of the experience of
the 3000 converts at Pentecost was
"fellowship" (Acts 2:41, 42). When
Peter and John were released from
prison, "they went to their own
company" (Acts 4:23). When Barnabas
brought Saul to Antioch, "a whole year
they assembled themselves with the
church, and taught much people"
(Acts 11:26). When Paul and Barnabas
returned from their first missionary
journey, they gathered the church
together and 'rehearsed all that God
had done with them" (Acts 14:27).
Paul's letters were usually sent to
churches to be read to congregations
in public meetings.
The church of this time had no
church buildings, so far as we know.
They met in homes, often in secret to
avoid persecution. Regardless of
circumstances, the working,
worshiping congregation was the
basic unit of the early Christian
church.
The purpose of this lesson will be to
discover what these early Christians
did when they met together.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Church Praises God
(Acts 2:46, 47)
2.
The Church Prays for Help
(Acts 4:29, 30)
3.
Prayer Results in Witness
(Acts 4:31-33)
4.
The Church Prays for All Men
(1 Tim. 2:1-4)
5.
The Church Sings (Col. 3:16)
6.
The Church Listens to the
Word (1 Tim. 4:13, 14)
LESSON 8 November 14-20
The Early
Christians
and
Worship
The Early Christians and Worship
LESSON 8
❑
Sunday
November 14
Part 1
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple,
THE CHURCH and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat
PRAISES GOD with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and
having favour with all the people" (Acts 2:46, 47).
What are some of the examples of "praising God" found in
the records of the life of the New Testament church?
1.
Regarding the very first Christians, immediately following
the ascension, it is said, "And they worshipped him, and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in
the temple, praising and blessing God" (Luke 24:52, 53).
2.
When Peter and John were released from prison (Acts 4),
they returned to the church and recounted their experiences.
"And when they [the church] heard that, they lifted up their
voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God,
which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in
them is" (Acts 4:24).
3.
Throughout the New Testament are statements of praise
which very likely were used in the services of the church. A good
example is Ephesians 3:20, 21: "Now unto him that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church
by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
THINK IT THROUGH
What are different ways of praising God in our worship
services?
"The church of God below is one with the church of God
above. Believers on the earth and the beings in heaven who
have never fallen constitute one church. Every heavenly
intelligence is interested in the assemblies of the saints who on
earth meet to worship God. In the inner court of heaven they
listen to the testimony of the witnesses for Christ in the outer
court on earth, and the praise and thanksgiving from the
worshipers below is taken up in the heavenly anthem, and
praise and rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts
because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen sons of Adam.
... Let us remember that our praises are supplemented by the
choirs of the angelic host above.
"Then as you meet from Sabbath to Sabbath, sing praises to
Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous
light. . . .
"While we review, not the dark chapters in our experience,
but the manifestations of God's great mercy and unfailing love,
we shall praise far more than complain. . . . Praise, like
clear-flowing streams, will come from God's truly believing
ones."—Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 366, 367.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 360-368.
64
The Early Christians and Worship
LESSON 8
❑
Monday
November 15
Part 2
When under severe pressure, for what did the early
THE CHURCH Christians pray?
PRAYS FOR HELP
"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto
thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and
wonders may be done by the name of the holy child Jesus"
(Acts 4:29, 30).
Peter and John had healed a lame man in the temple. Peter
followed the healing by preaching a powerful sermon in which
he bore witness to his Lord. The authorities threw them in jail
overnight, but the result of the day's work was many
conversions (Acts 4:4). The next day Peter and John were called
before the authorities and, again, Peter bore eloquent witness
to Christ. Afraid to punish them further because of public
sentiment, the rulers let them go with a solemn warning to quit
preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter and John gave no
assurances of compliance with these commands. As soon as
they were released, they sought out a group of fellow believers
and related their experiences. Then this group of Christians
offered the prayer recorded in Acts 4:24-30. After ascribing
praise and honor to God, they continued their worship by
making the requests found in our text for today.
It is interesting to note that these persecuted believers did
not
ask for deliverance from trouble; they didn't pray for wisdom to
avoid persecution; or for God to punish their enemies. They
prayed for
boldness
to preach the gospel. They prayed that
more
people might be healed, even though the healing of the
day before had been the cause of their trouble.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do we go to God, not merely to receive bless-
ings for ourselves, but to receive power to minister to the
needs of the world?
Prayers for boldness to witness and clear manifestations of
the power of God were an important part of worship for the
apostles. Such
.
prayers are no less important today.
"God does not mean that any of us should become hermits or
monks and retire from the world in order to devote ourselves to
acts of worship. The life must be like Christ's life—between the
mountain and the multitude. He who does nothing but pray will
soon cease to pray, or his prayers will become a formal routine.
When men take themselves out of social life, away from the
sphere of Christian duty and cross bearing; when they cease to
work earnestly for the Master, who worked earnestly for them,
they lose the subject matter of prayer and have no incentive to
devotion."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 101.
FURTHER STUDY
Acts 3 and 4.
65
The Early Christians and Worship
LESSON 8
❑
Tuesd
ay
November 16
Part 3
What were the results of the prayer recorded in Acts 4:
PRAYER RESULTS 2430?
IN WITNESS
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where
they were assembled together; and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and
of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things
which he possessed was his own; but they had all things
common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon
them all" (Acts 4:31-33).
Note that the tremendous achievements described in this
passage came as the result of an act of worship—prayer. It was
"when they had prayed" that the Holy Spirit fell upon them.
"By the grace of Christ the apostles were made what they
were. It was sincere devotion and humble, earnest prayer that
brought them into close communion with Him. They sat
together with Him in heavenly places. They realized the
greatness of their debt to Him. By earnest, persevering prayer
they obtained the endowment of the Holy Spirit, and then they
went forth, weighted with the burden of saving souls, filled with
zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross. And under their labors
many souls were brought from darkness to light, and many
churches were raised
up."—Testimonies, vol.
7, p. 32.
THINK IT THROUGH
If the church is to be successful in accomplishing the great
commission of preaching the gospel to all the world, what
must be a vital part of their spiritual experience? (See Eph.
6:18.)
"Shall we be less earnest than were the apostles? Shall we
not by living faith claim the promises that moved them to the
depths of their being to call upon the Lord Jesus for the
fulfillment of His word, 'Ask, and ye shall receive'? John 16:24. Is
not the Spirit of God to come today in answer to earnest,
persevering prayer, and fill men with power? Is not God saying
today to His praying, trusting, believing workers, who are
opening the Scriptures to those ignorant of the precious truth
they contain: 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world'? Matthew 28:20. Why, then, is the church so weak and
spiritless?
"As the disciples, filled with the power of the Spirit, went forth
to proclaim the gospel, so God's servants are to go forth
today."—Testimonies, vol.
7, p. 32.
As in the time of the apostles, fervent prayer will be followed
by the infilling of the Spirit, unity, power, and grace. Those who
worship God
come
to know God and go to serve God.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 8, pp. 19-23.
66
The Early Christians and Worship
LESSON 8
❑
Wednesday
November 17
Part 4
What special group did Paul single out that should be
THE CHURCH PRAYS remembered in the worship of the church?
FOR ALL MEN
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for
kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will
have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of
the truth" (1 Tim. 2:1-4).
Timothy was a young pastor and evangelist, and Paul was
giving him counsel regarding the conduct of his ministry. No
doubt Paul recognized the danger that the church would limit
its prayers to things pertaining to themselves.
"The gospel embraces
Christian and non-Christian.
Prayer is
to be made for
all
men. The Emperors and rulers and governors
for whom this letter bids us to pray were not Christians; they
were in fact hostile to the Church; and yet they were to be borne
to the throne of grace by the prayers of the Church. For the true
Christian there is no such thing as an enemy in all this world.
None is outside his prayers, for none is outside the love of
Christ, and none is outside the purpose of God, who wishes
a//
men to be saved."—From
The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and
Philemon,
translated and interpreted by Willaim Barclay
(Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), p. 65. Used by
permission.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do we pray as earnestly for our rulers as we ought?
The following prayer was offered by an early church leader in
the time of the persecuting Roman emperor, Domitian:
"You, Master, gave them [rulers] imperial power through your
majestic and indescribable might, so that we, recognizing it was
you who gave them the glory and honor, might submit to them,
and in no way oppose your will. Grant them, Lord, health, peace,
harmony, and stability, so that they may give no offense in
administering the government you have given them.... Direct
their plans, 0 Lord, in accord with 'what is good and pleasing to
you,' so that they may administer the authority you have given
them, with peace, considerateness, and reverence, and so win
your mercy. ... Amen."—Cyril C. Richardson, ed.
Early Chris-
tian Fathers,
(Volume 1 of
Library of Christian Classics)
(Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1953), p. 72, "Clement's
First Letter."
Should we not be more faithful in remembering our rulers in
our services of worship? They need our prayers, and we need to
think of them in the attitude of prayer.
FURTHER STUDY
Romans 13:1-7.
67
The Early Christians and Worship
LESSON 8
❑
Thursday
November 18
Part 5
What part was music to play in the worship of the early
THE CHURCH Christian church?
SINGS
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord" (Col. 3:16).
"The curtain rises on the birth of Christ to singing by the
heavenly choir. Luke records in poetic form the announcement
of the angel to Zacharias that to him and his wife Elisabeth
would be born the Forerunner of the Messiah. The annunciation
to Mary is poetic; and when Mary realized that she was to be the
mother of the Christ, her amazement, humility, and gladness
found expression in pure poetry (Luke 1:32-35, 47-55). Later
when John was born, the tongue of Zacharias was loosed and
his joy poured forth in poetry (Luke 1:68-79). When the Holy
Child was brought to the Temple in compliance with Jewish
custom and Simeon realized that he was seeing the Lord's
Christ, he took the child in his arms and blessed God and broke
into song (Luke 2:29-35). These poetic utterances were later set
to music and became the precious hymns of the early
churches."—Gaines Dobbins,
The Church at Worship
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1962), p. 69. Used by permission.
What are some of the other references to music in the early
Christian church?
Mark 14:26.
"And when they had sung an hymn, they went out
into the mount of Olives."See also
Eph. 5:19;James 5:13;1 Cor.
14:15.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is the church today using the gift of music to the best
advantage?
"Music can be a great power for good; yet we do not make the
most of this branch of worship.... Music should have beauty,
pathos, and power. Let the voices be lifted in songs of praise
and devotion. Call to your aid, if practicable, instrumental
music, and let the glorious harmony ascend to God, an
acceptable offering.
"But it is sometimes more difficult to discipline the singers
and keep them in working order, than to improve the habits of
praying and exhorting. Many want to do things after their own
style; they object to consultation, and are impatient under
leadership. Well-matured plans are needed in the service of
God. Common sense is an excellent thing in the worship of the
Lord."—Evangelism,
p. 505.
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 167, 168.
68
The Early Christians and Worship
LESSON 8
❑
Friday
November 19
Part 6
What did Paul say to Timothy regarding Scripture reading,
THE CHURCH preaching, and teaching as a part of worship?
LISTENS TO
THE WORD
"Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to
preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which
was given you by prophetic utterance when the elders laid
their hands upon you" (1 Tim. 4:13, 14, RSV).
Praise, prayer, and singing are important parts of worship,
but they are not enough. The worshiper goes to church to praise
God, but he also goes to learn more about God. This is-the
reason Scripture is read, lessons are taught, and sermons are
preached. Ellen White says, "Much of the public worship of God
consists of praise and prayer, and every follower of Christ
should engage in this worship. There is also the preaching
service, conducted by those whose work it is to instruct the
congregation in the word of God."—Ellen G. White,
Signs of the
Times,
June 24, 1886.
"When man comes into spiritual contact with God, that
is
communion;
it is worship.
Preaching is spiritual worship of the
highest order because by means of it God comes directly to the
minds and hearts and consciences of men. Through the
preacher he stimulates and challenges all the higher qualities of
the soul. Hence preaching is indispensable to mature worship.
It is preaching that primarily makes worship mature and keeps it
so. As people leave church, they are often heard to remark that
they
enjoyed
the service. This may mean only that they had
pleasant sensations as they sat in a building that was artistically
and architecturally satisfying, as they listened to the music....
The sermon if of the right quality forces them to be honest with
themselves and with God as to whether they actually
are better
morally than when they entered. The sermon can do more than
anything else to make and keep the worship a personal matter
between the soul and God."—I. T. Jones,
A Historical Approach
to Evangelical Worship,
pp. 260, 261.
THINK IT THROUGH
What power makes preaching effective? (See Acts 1:8.)
"It is the efficiency of the Holy Spirit that makes the ministry of
the word effective. When Christ speaks through the minister,
the Holy Spirit prepares the hearts of the listeners to receive the
word. The Holy Spirit is not a servant, but a controlling power.
He causes the truth to shine into minds, and speaks through
every discourse where the minister surrenders himself to the
divine working. It is the Spirit that surrounds the soul with a holy
atmosphere, and speaks to the impenitent through words of
warning, pointing them to Him who takes away the sin of the
world."—Gospel
Workers,
p. 155.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 5, p.. 493.
69
"After this I looked, and, behold, a
door was opened in heaven: and the
first voice which I heard was as it were
of a trumpet talking with me; which
said, Come up hither, and I will shew
thee things which must be hereafter.
And immediately I was in the spirit;
and, behold, a throne was set in
heaven, and one sat on the throne.
And he that sat was to look upon like a
jasper and a sardine stone: and there
was a rainbow round about the
throne, in sight like unto an emerald"
(Rev. 4:1-3).
Never has mortal man enjoyed a
J
reater privilege than that given to
ohn. A door swung open in heaven
and a trumpetlike voice called, "Come
up here" (NEB). He saw a throne, and
on the throne sat an indescribable
Being. Around the throne was a
rain bow.
"In the rainbow above the throne is
an everlasting testimony that 'God so
loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish....'
Whenever the law is presented
before the people, let the teacher of
truth point to the throne arched with
the rainbow of promise, the
righteousness of Christ. . . .
"As the bow in the cloud is formed
by the union of sunlight and the
shower, so the rainbow encircling the
throne represents the combined
power of mercy and justice. It is not
justice alone that is to be maintained;
for this would eclipse the glory of the
rainbow of promise above the throne;
men could see only the penalty of the
law. Were there no justice, no penalty,
there would be no stability to the
government of God. It is the mingling
of judgment and mercy that makes
salvation complete. It is the blending
of the two that leads us, as we view the
world's Redeemer, and the law of
Jehovah, to exclaim 'Thy gentleness
hath made me great.' "—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 1133.
It is noteworthy that John's vision of
God included this symbol of the mercy
and justice of God. And it is also
significant that these verses introduce
the most glorious picture of divine
worship in the Bible. Is it not
reasonable to conclude that God's
mercy and justice are the attributes
that call forth the worship of the
heavenly beings? And may we not
conclude that the value of our worship
is proportional to our understanding
of God's mercy and justice?
This is both an Old and a New
Testament concept. Ezekiel describes
his vision of God in Ezekiel 1:26-28.
The description is comparable to that
given by John, especially in regard to
the rainbow: "As the appearance of
the bow that is in the cloud in the day
of rain, so was the appearance of the
brightness round about. This was the
appearance of the likeness of the glory
of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell
upon my face" (verse 28).
Both the Old and New Testament
prophets saw the same God,
characterized by the same attributes of
justice and mercy. And the response in
each case was worship. This tells us
something that we need to remember.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Living Creatures Worship
God (Rev. 4:8)
2.
The 24 Elders Worship God
(Rev. 4:11)
3.
Living Creatures and 24
Elders Worship (Rev. 5:8, 9)
4.
The Angels Worship God
(Rev. 5:11, 12)
5.
Every Creature Worships God
(Rev. 5:13, 14)
6.
The Redeemed Worship God
(Rev. 7:9, 10)
LESSON 9 November 21-27
Worship in the
;ook of Revelation
Worship in the Book of Revelation
LESSON 9
❑
Sunday
November 21
Part 1
"And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
THE LIVING are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they
CREATURES never cease to sing,
WORSHIP GOD
'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!' " (Rev. 4:8, RSV).
What is the meaning of the term, "living creatures"?
The KJV translates this word as "beasts." The translation
"living creatures" seems better, as the original word does not
indicate to what order of beings these four belong. Apparently
they were different from anything the prophet knew; therefore
he referred to them merely as "living creatures." "That the
description of God's throne and the scene about it in chs. 4 and
5 is to be understood symbolically, rather than literally, is clear,
for instance, from ch. 5:6, where Christ is described as 'a Lamb
as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes,' yet
alive and able to come and take the book from the hand of God.
Inasmuch as this is obviously a highly symbolic figure, it follows
that the whole prophetic incident is to be interpreted in the
same
way."—SDA Bible Commentary,
on Rev. 4:1.
What was included in the worship of the four living
creatures?
1.
Ascription of holiness to God.
The word
hagios,
translated
"holy" is used in reference to things, places, and persons; but
its highest application is to God. It is repeated three times for
emphasis. It refers to the purity, majesty, and glory of God.
"Holy, holy, holy! Though darkness hide Thee,
Through the eye of man Thy great glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love and purity."
2.
Ascription of eternal existence to God.
Men think of time in
terms of past, present, and future; but with God there is no
beginning and no end.
"Holy, holy, holy! Angels adore Thee,
Casting down their bright crowns around the glassy sea;
Thousands, and ten thousands worship low before Thee,
Which wert, and art, and evermore shall be."—The
Church
Hymnal,
no. 73.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are we as reverent as we ought to be when we come into the
presence of God?
"True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite
greatness and a realization of His presence."—Prophets
and
Kings,
p. 48.
FURTHER STUDY
Ezekiel 1:4-28.
72
Worship in the Book of Revelation
LESSON 9
❑
Monday
November 22
Part 2
"Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and honour and
THE 24 ELDERS power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure
WORSHIP GOD they are and were created" (Rev. 4:11).
Who were the 24 elders? (See verse 10.)
The Scripture does not tell us directly. Some identify them as
redeemed men in harmony with the reading "redeemed us" in
the KJV, and assuming that they were among those who were
raised from the dead at Christ's resurrection. Others consider
them heavenly beings because they minister the prayers of the
saints (Rev. 5:8). Whether they are redeemed men or heavenly
beings, they are pictured as "clothed in white raiment"
symbolizing purity and wearing "crowns of gold" signifying
victory.
What was distinctive about their song of worship?
THINK IT THROUGH
"The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He is the
Creator and that to Him all other beings owe their existence.
And wherever, in the Bible, His claim to reverence and worship,
above the gods of the heathen, is presented, there is cited the
evidence of His creative power. 'All the gods of the nations are
idols: but the Lord made the heavens.' Psalm 96:5. `To whom
then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift
up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these
things.' Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God
Himself that formed the earth and made it:... I am the Lord; and
there is none else.' Isaiah 40:25, 26; 45:18. Says the psalmist:
'Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and
not we ourselves.' 0 come, let us worship and bow down: let us
kneel before the Lord our Maker,' Psalm 100:3; 95:6. And the
holy beings who worship God in heaven state, as the reason why
their homage is due to Him: 'Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive
glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things.'
Revelation 4:11."—The
Great Controversy,
pp. 436, 437.
Do we have a deep consciousness of the worthiness of God
as the object of our worship? Do we revere Him as our
Creator? Do we sing with a real sense of appreciation the
following hymn?
"My Maker and my King, to Thee my all I owe;
Thy sovereign bounty is the spring whence all my blessings
flow;
The creature of Thy hand, on Thee alone I live;
My God, Thy benefits demand more praise than I can give."
—The Church Hymnal,
no. 71.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 414-418.
73
Worship in the Book of Revelation
LESSON 9
❑
Tuesday
November 23
Part 3
"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures
LIVING CREATURES and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each
AND 24 ELDERS holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which
WORSHIP are the prayers of the saints; and they sang a new song,
saying,
'Worthy are thou to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for
God,
from every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on earth' " (Rev. 5:8, 9, RSV).
What was the setting of this act of worship?
The One who sat on the throne held in His right hand a scroll
"sealed with seven seals." An angel shouted, "Who is worthy to
open the scroll and break its seals?" (Rev. 5:2, RSV). There was
no answer. The prophet wept because no one seemed worthy to
unseal the secrets contained in the scroll. Then one of the 24
elders spoke: "Weep not," he exclaimed, "the Lion of the tribe
ofJudah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open
the scroll and its seven seals" (verse 5). No doubt the prophet
began to scan the celestial stage for the appearance of a lion;
but prophetic vision often brings surprises. "And between the
throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw
a Lamb standing" (verse 6). Not a lion, but a lamb. Not an
ordinary lamb, but a lamb "as though it had been slain"—a
bleeding lamb. And it was this Lamb, a symbol of Jesus, who
took the scroll from the right hand of God. Twenty-seven times
in
Revelation,
Jesus is spoken of as a Lamb.
What do we learn about the gospel as we listen to the
heavenly beings worship the Lamb?
First, we learn that the saints on earth were not forgotten.
Their prayers were symbolized by incense in bowls held by the
living creatures and the elders. Second, we are reminded of the
efficacy of the blood of the slain Lamb "for thou wast slain and
by thy blood didst ransom men for God" (verse 9). Third, we
learn of the extent of the work of the gospel, "from every tribe
and tongue and people and nation" (verse 9). Fourth, we learn
of the ultimate destiny of the redeemed. They will be both kings
and priests.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the relation of worship to the gospel?
Worship in heaven was tied to the gospel. Worship on earth
must likewise exist in the context of the gospel. Christ, His
cross, the empty tomb, His ministry in our behalf, must always
be the subject of our prayers, songs, and sermons.
74
Worship in the Book of Revelation
LESSON 9
❑
Wednesday
November 24
Part 4
What specific reason caused the angels of heaven to sing
THE ANGELS the praises of the Lamb?
WORSHIP GOD
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round
about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the
number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing"
(Rev. 5:11, 12).
"Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the
Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all,
they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever
made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that
the universe was made eternally secure.'—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 764.
What is suggested by the seven-fold song of praise sung by
the angelic hosts?
The One who hung helplessly on across, who had nowhere to
lay His head, who was spat upon and beaten, and who wore a
crown of thorns is now revealed as possessing power and
riches and honor. The One who was put down so rudely by man
is shown to be the Source of wisdom and blessing. The One who
gave Himself so completely is now replete with glory and
strength. The picture is one of dramatic contrast. On the one
hand, a bleeding Lamb—on the other, the angels of God singing
an anthem of worship and praise.
THINK IT THROUGH
When we worship, do we recognize as we should the power,
riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing of Christ?
James Montgomery, a nineteenth century hymn writer,
caught the spirit of the angels' song:
"Come, let us sing the song of songs-
The angels first began the strain-
The homage which to Christ belongs:
'Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!'
Slain to redeem us by His blood,
To cleanse from every sinful stain,
And make us kings and priests to God:
'Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!' "
—The Church Hymnal, no. 153.
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
on Revelation 5.
75
Worship in the Book of Revelation
LESSON 9
❑
Friday
November 26
Part 6
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man
THE REDEEMED could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and
WORSHIP GOD tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried
with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb" (Rev. 7:9, 10).
How is Revelation 7:9, 10 related to Revelation 4 and 5?
Revelation 7 describes the same God, sitting upon the same
throne, the same Lamb, the same angels, the same elders, the
same living creatures. The one new element in the picture is the
multitude of the redeemed. This passage makes John's picture
of worship in heaven relevant to
us.
We may identify with the
heavenly worshipers.
What will the great occasion be like?
"Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the
cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning,
have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next
are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of
falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God
when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all
ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the 'great
multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and
kindreds, and people, and tongues, . .. before the throne, and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their
hands.' Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won.
They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch
in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an
emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is
theirs.
"The redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and
reechoes through the vaults of heaven: 'Salvation to our God
which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.' Verse 10.
And angel and seraph unite their voices in adoration. As the
redeemed have beheld the power and malignity of Satan, they
have seen, as never before, that no power but that of Christ
could have made them conquerors. In all that shining throng
there are none to ascribe salvation to themselves, as if they had
prevailed by their own power and goodness. Nothing is said of
what they have done or suffered; but the burden of every song,
the keynote of every anthem, is: Salvation to our God and unto
the Lamb."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 665.
THINK IT THROUGH
What assurance do we have of being among those who will
worship God and Christ in heaven? (See Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26.)
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 9, pp. 267-269.
77
LESSON 10 November 28 to December 4
The Three Angels'
Messages and
Worship
The conflict of
the ages is, in a
sense, a conflict
regarding worship.
On the one hand,
God calls upon man
to worship his
Creator. On the
other hand, Satan
urges man to
worship him in his
various manifes-
tations in human
history.
At one time it
was Satan's
purpose to draw
Israel into the
worship of Baal.
From the beginning of
history false deities have
been a temptation to
many. At times the false
objects of worship have been
corrupted forms of the Christian
faith. At other times material wealth
and personal achievement have been
the gods that have seduced men to
their devotion.
God's message in Revelation 14,
known as the
"three angels'
messages" is
given just before
the Son of man
comes to reap the harvest (verses
14-20). In view of the impending
judgment God commands the
worship of the Creator, and He forbids
the worship of competing entities
described as "the beast and his
image." The basic issue is, Whom shall
we worship? This is the concern of
God's church today.
"God has called his church in this
day, as He called ancient Israel, to
stand as a light in the earth. By the
mighty cleaver of truth, the messages
of the first, second, and third angels,
He has separated them from the
churches and from the world to bring
them into a sacred nearness to
Himself.
The three angels of Revelation 14
represent the people who accept the
light of God's messages and go forth
as His agents to sound the warning
throughout the earth. Christ declares
to His followers: 'Ye are the light of the
world.' To every soul that accepts
Jesus the cross of Calvary speaks:
'Behold the worth of the soul. "Go ye
into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature." 'Nothing is
to be permitted to hinder this work.
It
is the all-important work for time; it is
to be far-reaching as
eternity."—Testimonies,
vol.
5, pp.
455, 456.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Crisis Over Worship of
the Creator (Rev. 14:7)
2.
The Crisis Over the Day of
Worship (Rev. 14:9, 10)
3.
Worship in the Setting of
the Everlasting Gospel (Rev. 14:6)
4.
Worship Under Difficulties
(Rev. 14:12; 13:15)
5.
The Ultimate Ad of Worship
(Rev. 14:14-16)
6.
Worship in Eternity (Isa.
66:22, 23)
The Three Angels' Messages
❑
Sunday
and Worship
LESSON 10
November 28
Part 1
What is the basis of the worship of God?
THE CRISIS OVER
WORSHIP OF THE
"And worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
CREATOR sea, and the fountains of waters" (Rev. 14:7, last part).
"We are nearing the close of this earth's history. Satan is
making desperate efforts to make himself god. . . . Under the
jurisdiction of the man of sin, men have exalted a false standard
in complete opposition to God's enactment. Each Sabbath
institution bears the name of its author, an ineffaceable mark
showing the authority of each. The first day of the week has not
one particle of sanctity. It is the production of the man of sin,
who strives in this way to counterwork God's purposes.
"God has designated the seventh day as His Sabbath. [Ex.
31:13, 17, 16 quoted.]
"Thus the distinction is drawn between the loyal and the
disloyal. Those who desire to have the seal of God in their
foreheads must keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
Thus they are distinguished from the disloyal, who have
accepted a man-made institution in place of the true
Sabbath."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 7,
pp. 980, 981.
THINK IT THROUGH
What difference does the fact that God is the Creator make
to us?
Only a small minority in the scientific and religious world
today accept the Biblical teaching of God as Creator. In place of
this basic Christian belief, the theory of evolution has been
generally accepted.
"The theory of evolution, whether it be of the gradual or the
emergent type, leads to two conclusions which are contrary to
the teaching of the Scriptures. The first conclusion is that man
is evolving in the direction of perfection and needs no
regeneration. The second conclusion is that Jesus, far from
being perfect God and Man, was simply a steppingstone in the
human advance, splendid for His own day but long since
out-distanced, out-moded, and thus no 'Saviour' at all. Here the
Christian disagrees sharply."—Lindsell and Woodbridge,
A
Handbook of Christian Truth,
(Westwood, N.J.: Fleming H.
Revell, 1953), p. 83. Used by permission.
"God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery.
There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by
slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or
vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the
Creator to the level of man's narrow, earthly conceptions."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 45.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 44-51.
80
The Three Angels' Messages
❑
Monday
and Worship
LESSON 10
November
29
Part 2
What is the basic meaning and purpose of the third angel's
THE CRISIS OVER message?
THE DAY OF WORSHIP
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud
voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and re-
ceive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God" (Rev. 14:9,10, first part).
"The truths of the third angel's message have been presented
by some as a dry theory; but in this message is to be presented
Christ the Living One. He is to be revealed as the first and the
last, as the I AM, the Root and the Offspring of David, and the
bright and morning Star. Through this messagethe character of
God in Christ is to be manifested to the
world."—Testimonies,
vol. 6, p. 20.
Which facet of the three angel's messages has particularly
to do with worship? (verses 7, 9).
"In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the
Creator; and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as the
result of the threefold message, are keeping the command-
ments of God. One of these commandments points directly to
God as the Creator. The fourth precept declares: 'The seventh
day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: .. . for in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and
rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath
day, and hallowed it.' . . .
"In contrast to those who keep the commandments of God
and have the faith of Jesus, the third angel points to another
class, against whose errors a solemn and fearful warning is
uttered: `If any man worship the beast and his image, and re-
ceive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God.' Revelation 14:9, 10. A
correct interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary to
an understanding of this message."—The
Great Controversy,
pp. 437, 438.
The chapter in
The Great Controversy
develops the meaning
of these symbols, and then summarizes as follows:
"The keeping of God's law, on the one hand, and its violation,
on the other, will make the distinction between the worshipers
of God and the worshipers of the beast" (pp. 445,446). The most
pronounced issue is to be the day of worship.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do we realize how important the Sabbath is in the great
controversy between Christ and Satan? Are we prepared to
"preach the Sabbath more fully" so that it may accomplish its
purpose in preparing a people for the coming of Jesus?
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 433-450.
81
The Three Angels' Messages
❑
Tuesday
and Worship
LESSON 10
November 30
Part 3
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having
WORSHIP IN THE the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the
SETTING OF THE earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
EVERLASTING GOSPEL people" (Rev. 14:6).
What is the "everlasting gospel"?
"The message proclaimed by the angel flying in the midst of
heaven is the everlasting gospel, the same gospel that was
declared in Eden when God said to the serpent, 'I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her
seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel'
(Gen. 3:15). Here was the first promise of a Saviour who would
stand on the field of battle to contest the power of Satan and
prevail against him. Christ came to our world to represent the
character of God as it is represented in His holy law; for His law
is a transcript of His character. Christ was both the law and the
gospel. The angel that proclaims the everlasting gospel proc-
laims the law of God; for the gospel of salvation brings men to
obedience of the law, whereby their characters are formed after
the divine similitude."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 2, p. 106.
"In the prophecy [Rev. 14:6, 7] this warning of the judgment,
with its connected messages, is followed by the coming of the
Son of man in the clouds of heaven. The proclamation of the
judgment is an announcement of Christ's second coming as at
hand. And this proclamation is called the everlasting gospel.
Thus the preaching of Christ's second coming, the announce-
ment of its nearness, is shown to be an essential part of the
gospel message."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
pp. 227, 228.
THINK IT THROUGH
How does true worship differ from the false?
The angel flying in the midst of heaven with the everlasting
gospel to preach to all men calls upon mankind to "fear God,"
to "give glory to him," and to "worship him." Apparently this
gospel of a saving Christ, soon to come again, is intended to
inspire the spirit of worship. We stress the fact that worship is a
redeemed man's response to his Redeemer. This should be
true, whether a man brings the gospel to another man, or
whether an angel brings the gospel to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people.
When there is a real acceptance of the saving gospel of the
crucified, risen, and soon-coming Christ, there will be a revival
of true worship. It cannot be otherwise. To know Him is to love
Him and worship Him.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 2, pp. 104-107.
82
The Three Angels' Messages
❑
Thursday
and Worship
LESSON 10
December 2
Part 5
When the three angels have completed the proclamation of
THE ULTIMATE their messages, what great event will take place?
ACT OF WORSHIP
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud
one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden
crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came
out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the
cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for
thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat
•
on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was
reaped" (Rev. 14:14-16).
What will be the saints' response to the second coming of
Jesus? Isa. 25:9.
"To His faithful followers Christ has been a daily companion
and familiar friend. They have lived in close contact, in constant
communion with God. Upon them the glory of the Lord has
risen. In them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ has been reflected. Now they rejoice in
the undimmed rays of the brightness and glory of the King in His
majesty. They are prepared for the communion of heaven; for
they have heaven in their hearts.
"With uplifted heads, with the bright beams of the Sun of
Righteousness shining upon them, with rejoicing that their re-
demption draweth nigh, they go forth to meet the Bride-
groom, saying, to, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and
He will save us.' Isa.
25:9."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 421.
THINK IT THROUGH
Will the second coming of Christ be a moment of worship?
Such an occasion of worship the world has never known! At
last the redeemed see their Lord, the object of their faith, their
love, their worship. Their adoration knows no bounds. Words
cannot express their praise. All their hopes are now fulfilled and
their joy is now overflowing.
"Throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed every
glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds His glory.... Then,
as the commanding angels strike the note, every hand sweeps
the harp strings with skillful touch, awaking sweet music in rich,
melodious strains. Rapture unutterable thrills every heart, and
each voice is raised in grateful praise: 'Unto Him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made
us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever.' Revelation 1:5,
6."—The Great
Controversy,
p. 646.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 640-647.
84
Characteristics of True Worship
LESSON 11
❑
Tuesday
December 7
Part 3
"Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I
WORSHIP MUST am the Lord" (Lev. 19:30).
BE REVERENT
What lessons can we learn from the reverence that God
expected for the ancient sanctuary?
"From the sacredness which was attached to the earthly
sanctuary, Christians may learn how they should regard the
place where the Lord meets with His people. There has been a
great change, nqt for the better, but for the worse, in the habits
and customs of the people in reference to religious worship.
The precious, the sacred, things which connect us with God are
fast losing their hold upon our minds and hearts, and are being
brought down to the level of common things. The reverence
which the people had anciently for the sanctuary where they
met with God in sacred service has largely passed away.
Nevertheless, God Himself gave the order of His service,
exalting it high above everything of a temporal nature."—
Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 491.
The preceding quotation is the second paragraph of a
ten-page chapter entitled "Behaviour in the House of God." The
chapter will be quoted often in this lesson, and should be read
by each student and teacher. It reflects the condition of public
worship in the Seventh-day Adventist Church nearly a century
ago.
It is significant that this was the very time in the history of the
church when Ellen White was expressing great concern about
neglect of the doctrine of salvation by faith. Can it be that there
is a relationship between proper worship and a proper
experience of salvation? The thesis of these lessons is that
worship is a redeemed man's response to his Redeemer. If a
professed Christian lacks the
vital
experience of a relationship
with Christ, the lack will reveal itself in his neglect of worship.
THINK IT THROUGH
What effect does this lack of reverence have on our
families?
"Brethren, will you not devote a little thought to this subject
and notice how you conduct yourselves in the house of God and
what efforts you are making by precept and example to cultivate
reverence in your children?"—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 494.
"The education and training of the youth should be of a
character that would exalt sacred things and encourage pure
devotion for God in His house. Many who profess to be children
of the heavenly King have no true appreciation of the
sacredness of eternal things. Nearly all need to be taught how to
conduct themselves in the house of God. Parents should not
only teach, but command, their children to enter the sanctuary
with sobriety and reverence."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 496.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 5, pp. 491, 492; Ps. 5:7; Heb. 12:28.
90
Characteristics of True Worship
LESSON 11
❑
Thursday
December 9
Part 5
WORSHIP MUST
BE ACCOMPANIED
BY FAITH AND
DEDICATION
THINK IT THROUGH
"But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they
call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all
things which are written in the law and in the prophets" (Acts
24:14).
What gives meaning to ceremonies of worship?
"The magnificence of the first temple, and the imposing rites
of its religious services, had been a source of pride to Israel
before their captivity; but their worship had oftti mes been lack-
ing in those qualities which God regards as most essential. The
glory of the first temple, the splendor of its service, could not
recommend them to God; for that which is alone of value in His
sight, they did not offer. They did not bring Him the sacrifice of a
humble and contrite spirit.
"It is when the vital principles 6f the kingdom of God are lost
sight of, that ceremonies become multitudinous and extrava-
gant. It is when the character building is neglected, when the
adornment of the soul is lacking, when the simplicity of godli-
ness is despised, that pride and love of display demand magnif-
icent church edifices, splendid adornings, and imposing
ceremonials. But in all this God is not honored. He values His
church, not for its external advantages, but for the sincere piety
which distinguishes it from the world. He estimates it according
to the growth of its members in the knowledge of Christ, accord-
ing to their progress in spiritual experience. He looks for the
principles of love and goodness. Not all the beauty of art can
bear comparison with the beauty of temper and character to be
revealed in those who are Christ's representatives.
"A congregation may be the poorest in the land. It may be
without the attractions of any outward show; but if the members
possess the principles of the character of Christ, angels will
unite with them in their worship. The praise and thanksgiving
from grateful hearts will ascend to God as a sweet oblation."—
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 565, 566.
How may we be certain that our worship is genuine?
Every Christian should ask himself certain questions as he
enters the house of God: (1) Do I have faith? Do I really believe in
God as my Father and Christ as my Saviour? (2) Am I humble
and repentant? Do I come in the spirit of a suppliant, or am I
filled with pride? (3) Am I allowing God to transform and perfect
my character? (4) Do I enter God's house with a deep desire to
know Him better and to love Him more? (5) Do I bring to the
worship of God a love for my fellow worshipers and for the world
like that of the love of Christ? (6) Am I eager to worship God?
Worship and Christian experience cannot be separated.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 5, pp. 498, 499.
92
"Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God: but made himself
of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made in
the likeness of men: and being found
in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross"
(Phil. 2:5-8).
"When we want a deep problem to
study, let us fix our minds on the most
marvelous thing that ever took place in
earth or heaven—the incarnation of
the Son of God. God gave His Son to
die for sinful human beings a death of
ignominy and shame. He who was
Commander in the heavenly courts
laid aside His royal robe and kingly
crown, and clothing His divinity with
humanity, came to this world to stand
at the head of the human race as the
pattern-man. He humbled Himself to
suffer with the race, to be afflicted in
all their afflictions.
"The whole world was His, but so
completely did He empty Himself that
during His ministry He declared,
'Foxes have holes, and the birds of the
air have nests; but the Son of man hath
not where to lay his head.' "—Ellen G.
White Comments,SDA
Bible
Commentary, vol. 7,
p. 904.
It is this humiliation of the Son of
God that the Christian celebrates
when he participates in the
foot-washing service. He is not
revealing how humble he himself is,
but rather he is remembering how
humble Christ was. This meaning of
the ordinance of feet washing is made
clear in the following quotations:
"This ordinance is Christ's
appointed preparation for the
sacramental service. While pride,
variance, and strife for supremacy are
cherished, the heart cannot enter into
fellowship with Christ. We are not
prepared to receive the communion of
His body and His blood. Therefore it
was that Jesus appointed the memorial
of His humiliation to be first
observed."—The
Desire of Ages,
p.
650.
"As the Saviour's humiliation for us
is remembered, thought links with
-thought; a chain of memories is
called up."—The
Desire of
Ages, pp.
650, 651.
"The most eloquent commentary on
the feet-washing occurs in the second
chapter of Paul s Letter to the
Philippians where the apostle tells us
that as Christians we must have the
mind of Christ 'who, though he was in
the form of God, did not count
equality with God a thing to be
grasped, but emptied himself, taking
The Memorial of His Humiliation
LESSON 12
❑
Monday
December 13
Part 2
PETER OBJECTS
"Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him,
Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto
him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know
hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my
feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part
with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only,
but also my hands and my head" (John 13:6-9).
What was Peter thinking as Jesus knelt to wash his feet?
It was Peter, months before, who had made the great
confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"
(Matt. 16:16). The very fact that Peter recognized so clearly who
it was that was going to wash his feet added to his
astonishment. "Peter could not bear to see his Lord, whom he
believed to be the Son of God, acting the part of a
servant."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 645. When Jesus insisted on
washing his feet, "Peter surrendered his pride and self-will"
(page 646). Something happened to Peter when he recognized
the humility of his Lord. Along with his brethren, Peter was now
able to "concede to another the highest place" (page 646).
THINK IT THROUGH
What lesson does Peter's experience hold for us?
"Like Peter and his brethren, we too have been washed in the
blood of Christ, yet often through contact with evil the heart's
purity is soiled. We must come to Christ for His cleansing grace.
Peter shrank from bringing his soiled feet in contact with the
hands of his Lord and Master; but how often we bring our sinful,
polluted hearts in contact with the.heart of Christ! How grievous
to Him is our evil temper, our vanity and pride! Yet all our
infirmity and defilement we must bring to Him. He alone can
wash us clean. We are not prepared for communion with Him
unless cleansed by His efficacy."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 646,
649.
Peter's experience teaches us an additional truth from the
foot-washing service. Jesus was not only establishing a
memorial of His humiliation; He was also giving a symbol of
cleansing. Jesus saw His self-giving life, not as an end in itself,
but as a means of salvation. So when Jesus washed the feet of
His disciples, He was not only saying, I am willing to accept any
humiliation, even the cross; but he was also saying, I want to
wash you from your pride. These two meanings supplement
each other. Jesus gave Himself for us. This is the gospel.
Peter never forgot this lesson. Years later he wrote, "For
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
May we never forget this lesson!
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 645-649.
97
The Memorial of His Humiliation
LESSON 12
❑
Wednesday
December 15
Part 4
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than
"THE SERVANT his lord; neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent
IS NOT GREATER him" (John 13:16).
THAN HIS LORD"
What practical application does this passage have to
Christian living?
Just as Jesus emptied Himself for the sake of man, so His
followers should be willing to be servants one to another. The
Christian should participate in the foot-washing service and
also be ready and willing to render loving service to Christians
and non-Christians. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us
do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the
household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). The Christian has something to
give beyond that of the public or private welfare agency. In
addition to food, clothing, medical care, child care, employ-
ment, the Christian has a peculiar brand of love and concern
that gives meaning and hope to those in need.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why is it hard to assume the role of a servant?
"I was pointed to the Majesty of heaven. When He whom
angels worshiped, He who was rich in honor, splendor, and
glory, came to the earth, and found Himself in fashion as a man,
He did not plead His refined nature as an excuse to hold Himself
aloof from the unfortunate. In His work He was found among the
afflicted, the poor, distressed; and needy ones. Christ was the
embodiment of refinement and purity; His was an exalted life
and character; yet in His labor He was found not among men of
highsounding titles, not among the most honorable of this
world, but with the despised and needy. 'I came,' says the divine
Teacher, 'to save that which was lost.' Yes; the Majesty of
heaven was ever found working to help those who most needed
help. May the example of Christ put to shame the excuses of that
class who are so attracted to their poor selves that they consider
it beneath their refined taste and their high calling to help the
most helpless. Such have taken a position higher than their
Lord, and in the end will be astonished to find themselves lower
than the lowest of that class whom their refined, sensitive
natures were shocked to mingle with and work for. True, it may
not always be agreeable to unite with the Master and become
co-workers with Him in helping the very class who stand most in
need of help; but this is the work which Christ humbled Himself
to do. Is the servant greater than his Lord? He has given the
example, and enjoins upon us to copy it. It may be disagreeable,
yet duty demands that just such a work be performed."—
Testimonies,
vol. 2, p. 467.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 273-280.
99
The Memorial of His Humiliation
LESSON 12
❑
Thursday
December 16
Part 5
What was Jesus' summary statement regarding the
HAPPINESS IN foot-washing service?
OBEDIENCE
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John
13:17).
What does this tell us in respect to duty in the Christian life?
Many have been led to believe that recognizing Christian duty
is equivalent to salvation by works. Duty is not an ugly word.
"Love has a twin sister, which is
duty."—Testimonies,
vol. 3, p.
195. In fact, there is a close relationship between faith and duty.
"No one can believe with the heart unto righteousness, and
obtain justification by faith, while continuing the practice of
those things which the Word of God forbids, or while neglecting
any known
duty."—Selected Messages,
bk. 1, p. 396.
"But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through
the merits of Christ, no man can cover his soul with the
garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known
sins, or neglecting known duties. God requires the entire
surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and
in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual
obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and
purifies the soul."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, p. 366.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does this text teach us regarding Christian worship?
The expression, "these things," in John 13:17 seems to imply
two things. Jesus is telling His followers that they will find
happiness in fulfilling the role of a servant. He is making a
tremendous appeal for Christian service to all people of all
classes. But He is doing more than this. He is establishing an
ordinance to become a part of Christian worship—an ordinance
that will commemorate the humiliation of Jesus and that will
teach the spirit of humility that makes Christian service
possible. Every time we celebrate the foot-washing service we
think (1) of Jesus who "humbled himself, and became obedient
unto death" and (2) of our fellowmen who demand our love and
service in the spirit of Jesus. Thus this act of worship at a
Communion service becomes a perpetual reminder of our Lord
and of our duty. And happiness is a by-product of loving our
Lord and our fellowmen.
"The test of sincerity is not in words, but in deeds. Christ does
not say to any man, What say ye more than others? but, 'What do
ye more than others?' Matt. 5:47. Full of meaning are His words,
'If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.' John 13:17.
Words are of no value unless they are accompanied with
appropriate
deeds."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 272.
FURTHER STUDY
Evangelism,
pp. 274-276.
100
The Memorial of His Humiliation
LESSON 12
CI Friday
December 17
Part 6
HUMILIATION GIVES
WAY TO
GLORIFICATION
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the sequel to the "emptying" described in
Philippians 2:5-8?
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him
a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on
earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).
Verses 5 to 8 of Philippians 2 describe Jesus giving up the
form of God and becoming a slave in the likeness of men. This
self-givingwent so far as to include the most humiliating form of
execution—the cross. But after reaching the bottom, so far as
humiliation is concerned, Jesus is honored by His Father; He
receives a "new name," symbolic of His new status in God's
universe, and He receives the worship of the universe.
What added meaning does the glorification of Jesus give to
the feet washing ordinance?
"Christ would have His disciples understand that although He
had washed their feet, this did not in the least detract from His
dignity. 'Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I
am.' And being so infinitely superior, He imparted grace and
significance to the service. No one was so exalted as Christ, and
yet He stooped to the humblest duty. That His people might not
be misled by the selfishness which dwells in the natural heart,
and which strengthens by self-serving, Christ Himself set the
example of humility. He would not leave this great subject in
man's charge. Of so much consequence did He regard it, that
He Himself, One equal with God, acted as servant to His
disciples. While they were contending for the highest place, Hel
to whom every knee shall bow, He whom the angels of glory
count it honor to serve, bowed down to wash the feet of those
who called Him Lord."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 649.
What do the humiliation and glorification of Jesus tell us
about Christian worship?
Christ's humiliation gives us an added incentive to worship.
He bowed low to cleanse us from sin; in grateful response, we
bow low in reverent worship. And the glory of worship is
compounded by the fact that we are recognizing the King of
kings and Lord of lords. He came a long way to redeem us, and
He returned a long way to reclaim His place by the side of His
Father. Should not we be willing to give of our very best both in
our personal and corporate worship of Him?
Col. 1:9-21.
FURTHER STUDY
101
"For I have received of the Lord that
which also I delivered unto you, That
the Lord Jesus the same night in which
he was betrayed took bread: and
when he had given thanks, he brake it,
and said, Take, eat: this is my body,
which is broken for you: this do in
remembrance of me. After the same
manner also he took the cup, when he
had supped, saying, This cup is the
new testament in my blood: this do ye,
as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of
me. For as often as ye eat this bread,
and drink this cup, ye do shew the
Lord's death till he come" (1 Cor.
11:23-26).
When Jesus was on earth with His
disciples, it is likely that He asked
Himself the question, What memorial
can
I
establish that will keep my
sacrifice always fresh in the minds of
my followers? What symbols can I
select that will never lose their power
and meaning? So He chose two simple
everyday articles of food—symbols
that would be understood by people
in all ages, in every country, of all
backgrounds, and of all cultures. As
long as eating and drinking is a part of
life, these symbols will not lose their
meaning.
The key idea in the Lord's supper is
remember.
The events of Calvary were
LESSON 13 December 19-25
The
Lor s
supper
too important to be forgotten. The
following quotations emphasize this
important truth:
"Our Lord says, Under conviction of
sin, remember that I died for you.
When oppressed and persecuted and
afflicted for My sake and the gospel's,
remember My love, so great that for
you I gave My life. When your duties
appear stern and severe, and your
burdens too heavy to bear, remember
that for your sake I endured the cross,
despising the shame. When your heart
shrinks from the trying ordeal,
remember that your Redeemer liveth
to make intercession for you."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 659.
"He gave this simple ordinance that
it might be a special season when He
constraining power, is to be kept fresh
in our memory. Christ has instituted
this service that it may speak to our
senses of the love of God that has
been expressed in our behalf."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 660.
It is appropriate that across the front
of communion tables is often
inscribed the words,
In Remem-
brance of
Me. God knows how easy it
is for great spiritual truths to fade into
the fringes of our consciousness. He
knows how greatly and how often
spiritual values need to be reinforced.
This is why He directed that the Lord's
Supper should be a part of the
Christian's life and worship.
Himself would always be present, to
lead all participating in it to feel the
pulse of their own conscience, to
awaken them to an understanding of
the lessons symbolized, to revive their
memory, to convict of sin, and to
receive their penitential
repentance."—Ellen G. White
Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 1139.
"These are the things we are never
to forget. The love of Jesus, with its
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
Echoes of a Great Sermon
(John 6:35, 53-55)
2.
The New Passover (Luke
22:14-16)
3.
The Traitor at the Feast
(Matt. 26:20-25)
4.
The Giving of Thanks (1 Cor.
11:24)
5.
The Bread and the Cup (Matt.
26:26-28)
6.
Till He Come (1 Cor. 11:26;
Matt. 26:29)
The Lord's Supper
LESSON 13
❑
Sunday
December 19
Part 1
What statements did Jesus make in one of His sermons that
ECHOES OF A prepared the way for an understanding of the Lord's Supper?
GREAT SERMON
"Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh
to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall
never thirst."
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood,
ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my
blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed"
(John 6:35, 53-55).
Under what circumstances did Jesus preach this sermon?
It was Passover time, just a year before the Lord's Supper was
instituted. The Galilean ministry of Jesus was drawing to its
close, and thousands were following Him..lt was in this setting
that Jesus fed the 5000 with the loaves and fishes.
This miracle inflamed the enthusiasm of the crowds, and they
determined to crown Him king. Here, they thought, was the
leader who could assure their national independence and
security. After dismissing the crowd, Jesus went into a
mountain by Himself. The disciples had headed their boat
across the sea toward Capernaum. A storm came up, and Jesus
appeared, walking on the sea. Soon they were safely on the
shore.
The next day, many of the people who had been fed
miraculously the day before found Jesus. They were still filled
with enthusiasm to follow Him as their new leader. But Jesus
cooled their zeal with His sermon on the bread of life.
What was the message of Jesus' sermon?
Jesus insisted that they believe on Him as the "bread of life."
He talked to them about His Father, about faith, about
everlasting life. He presented Himself as a personal Saviour, not
as a national leader. This was not what the people wanted.
"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no
more with him" (verse 66). Surely the disciples must have
thought back to this event when Jesus talked about His body
and His blood at the Lord's Supper.
THINK IT THROUGH
How do we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus?
"To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ is to receive
Him as a personal Saviour, believing that He forgives our sins,
and that we are complete in Him.... What food is to the body,
Christ .must be to the soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 389.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 389-394.
104
The Lord's Supper
LESSON 13
❑
Tuesday
December 21
Part 3
"Now when the even was come, he sat down with the
THE TRAITOR twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that
AT THE FEAST one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding
sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord,
is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand
with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man
goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom
the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he
had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him,
answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast
said" (Matt. 26:20-25).
What event in the ministry of Jesus was the "turning point"
in the experience of Judas?
"Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of
life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the
words, 'Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His
blood, ye have no life in you.' John 6:53. He saw that Christ was
offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself
as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have
no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His
followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to
Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did
watch."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 719.
It is of more than passing interest that Judas started on the
downward road when Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Bread of
Life. Later he walked out into the darkness to betray his Lord
when Jesus instituted the symbols of His broken body and
spilled blood. Judas revolted against a crucified Lord, a spiritual
Saviour. He wanted a worldly leader, a political deliverer.
What was Judas's basic problem?
"He loved the Great Teacher, and desired to be with Him. He
felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to
experience this through connecting himself with Jesus.... But
Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to
Christ."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 717.
He never loved his Lord with
all
his heart.
How well had Judas concealed his treachery? John 13:29.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can a modern disciple fall into the same type of apos-
tasy that destroyed Judas?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 716-722.
106
The Lord's Supper
LESSON 13
❑
Wednesd
ay
December 22
Part 4
"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take,
THE GIVING eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remem-
OF THANKS brance of me" (1 Cor. 11:24).
Which other descriptions of the Lord's Supper make
specific mention of giving of thanks? Luke 22:19; Matt. 26:27;
Mark 14:23.
The giving of thanks at the Lord's Supper was more than a
mere form. We recall previous occasions when Jesus gave
thanks before partaking of food—the feeding of the 5000 (John
6:11) and the feeding of the 4000 (Matt. 15:36; Mark 8:6). We do
not know what the Master said on these occasions, but we can
assume that He thanked His Father for the blessings of life. In
the case of the Last Supper, the thanksgiving prayer no doubt
included thankfulness for deliverance in harmony with the
theme of the Passover. But the deliverance about to be wrought
by Jesus was far greater than the deliverance from Egypt. The
thanksgiving phase became so prominent that the Lord's Sup-
per became known as the "Eucharist," a term meaning giving of
thanks.
What can we learn from Jesus' thanksgiving prayer at the
Lord's Supper?
"But the Communion service was not to be a season of sor-
rowing. This was not its purpose. As the Lord's disciples gather
about His table, they are not to remember and lament their
shortcomings. They are not to dwell upon their past religious
experience, whether that experience has been elevating or de-
pressing. They are not to recall the differences between them
and their brethren. The preparatory service has embraced all
this. The self-examination, the confession of sin, the reconcil-
ing of differences, has all been done. Now they are come to meet
with Christ. They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but
in its saving light."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 659.
THINK IT THROUGH
What do we mean/When we speak of "celebrating" the
ordinances?
This term reminds us of the joy, freedom, and victory that
come through Christ whose sacrifice we memorialize. We must
not succumb to the popular trend toward considering "celebra-
tion" an end in itself. When we assemble for the Lord's Supper,
we do not celebrate "life" or "humanness" or some other vague
object. We celebrate the life-giving sacrifice of our Lord on
Calvary, and we thank God for His provision for our salvation.
This means that the Communion service should be a joyous
occasion, because it commemorates our Lord's victory over
Satan. As His followers, we share His victory.
FURTHER STUDY
Ellen G. White comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p.
1132.
107
The Lord's Supper
LESSON 13
❑
Thursday
December 23
Part 5
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it,
THE BREAD AND and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat;
THE CUP this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of
the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of
sins" (Matt. 26:26-28).
What was the meaning of Jesus' words and actions?
"In partaking with His disciples of the bread and wine, Christ
pledged Himself to them as their Redeemer. He committed to
them the new covenant, by which all who receive Him become
children of God, and joint heirs with Christ. By this covenant
every blessing that heaven could bestow for this life and the life
to come was theirs. This covenant deed was to be ratified with
the blood of Christ. And the administration of the Sacrament
was to keep before the disciples the infinite sacrifice made for
each of them individually as a part of the great whole of fallen
humanity."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 656, 659.
What was meant by "my blood of the new testament
[covenant]"?
"Jesus spoke of His blood being the blood of the covenant.
What did He mean by that? A covenant is a relationship between
two people; when two people enter into a covenant, they enter
into a relationship with each other. But the covenant of which
Jesus spoke was not a covenant between man and man; it was a
covenant between God and man. That is to say, it was a new
relationship between God and man. What Jesus was saying at
the Last Supper was this: 'Because of my life, and above all
because of my death, a new relationship has become possible
between you and God.' It is as if He said, 'You have seen me; and
in me you have seen God; I have told you, I have shown you, how
much God loves you; He loves you even enough to suffer this
that I am going through; that is what God is like.' Because of
what Jesus did for men, the way for men is open to all the
loveliness of this new relationship with God."—From
The Gos-
pel of Matthew,
translated and interpreted by William Barclay,
vol. 2, pp. 377, 378.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does the Lord's Supper have to do with Christian
worship?
The Lord's Supper is the high point of Christian worship. It
should be "earth's nearest approach to heaven." The Sabbath
on which the Lord's Supper is celebrated should be a special
Sabbath with a special meaning for every worshiper.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 652-661.
108
The Lord's Supper
LESSON 13
❑
Friday
December 24
Part 6
How did the apostle Paul relate the Lord's Supper and the
TILL HE COME second coming of Jesus?
"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
shew the Lord's death till he come" (1 Cor. 11:26).
In what words did Jesus refer to His coming when He
instituted the Lord's Supper?
"But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of
the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you In my
Father's kingdom" (Matt. 26:29).
What is the relation between our Lord's death and His
second coming?
"It is only becau
.
se of His death that we can look with joy to His.
second coming."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 660.
"At the first feast He attended with His disciples [the wedding
feast at Cana], Jesus gave them the cup that symbolized His
work for their salvation. At the last supper He gave it again, in
the institution of that sacred rite by which His death was to be
shown forth 'till He come.' 1 Cor. 11:26. And the sorrow of the
disciples at parting from their Lord was comforted with the
promise of reunion, as He said , 'I will not drink henceforth of this
fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it
new
with you in My
Father's kingdom.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 149.
"The salvation of men depends upon a continual application
to their hearts of the cleansing blood of Christ. Therefore, the
Lord's Supper was not to be observed only occasionally or
yearly, but more frequently than the annual passover."—Ellen
G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1090.
THINK IT THROUGH
When Christians worship at a Communion service, they are
looking two directions—backward to the cross and forward to
the crown. It was at the same occasion where the Lord's Supper
was instituted that Jesus said, "I will come again, and receive
you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John
14:3). The Communion service should be especially meaningful
to Adventists, because it anticipates the great Communion, "the
marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9). All except one of
those who were in the upper room will be there. Those with
whom we have taken Communion on earth will, hopefully, be
there. And, best of all, Jesus will be there. Then we will
understand fully the meaning of His broken body and the shed
blood.
FURTHER STUDY
Ephesians, chapters 1 and 2.
109
Lessons for 1st Quarter/1977
Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult
Lessons for the first quarter of 1977 will be helped by the following outline in
studying the first two lessons. The title of the series is "Give Glory to God"
and is a series of studies in Christian behavior.
First Lesson
MORAL PRINCIPLES. Memory verse, Isa. 26:7.
1. Ethics and Morality (Micah 6:8).
2. Sources of Morality (Ps. 33:4, 5; 1 John 2:29).
3.
Decision (Prov. 1:10; Gen. 39:9).
4.
Need of Guidance (Ps. 32:8; 25:9)
5.
Some Christian Virtues (2 Peter 1:5-7)
6.
A Call to High Standards (Prov. 4:23-27).
Second Lesson
GOD AND MAN. Memory verse, Isa. 55:8, 9.
1. God Created Man (Ps. 8:5, 6).
2. God Came to Redeem Sinful Man (Rom. 5:8).
3. God Will Judge Man (2 Cor. 5:10).
4. God Is Ruler (Dan. 4:17).
5. Man's Need of God (Ps. 23:1-3).
6. Man's Response to God (Rom. 12:1; Ps. 95:6).
Lessons in Braille
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